News
Major Bruce Shand, The Duchess of Cornwall's father, died today
10th June 2006
It is with deep regret that we announce that Major Bruce Shand MC, The Duchess of Cornwall's father, passed away this morning.
He had been unwell for some time and his family was with him when he died at his home in Dorset.
Major Shand joined the Army as a Second Lieutenant in the 12th Royal Lancers and within a short time of the outbreak of war in 1939, had earned two Military Crosses - Military Cross and Bar.
He was shot and captured immediately after El Alamein - the battle that changed the course of the war in North Africa.
In March this year The Duchess of Cornwall visited El Alamein with The Prince of Wales to pay tribute at the graves of two of her father‘s fallen comrades on his behalf.
Spending the rest of the war as a prisoner-of-war in Germany Major Shand returned to Britain and married the Honourable Rosalind Cubitt, daughter of Lord Ashcombe. They had three children.
In later life he lived in East Sussex becoming the county‘s Vice Lord Lieutenant, representing The Queen on official occasions, and was later a member of the Queen‘s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard.
Arrangements are being made for a private family funeral. Major Shand was 89.