EARL OF ATHLONE - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 06/16/1939 - HFSID 299651

EARL OF ATHLONE
As President of the Royal African Society, he commends an Acting Secretary.
Typed Letter signed: "Athlone", 1 page, 8x10. Kensington Palace, London, 1939 June 16. To Mr. R. Nicholson, North Dorking, Surrey, in part: "It gives me great pleasure to convey to you a Resolution carried at a meeting of the Council of the Royal African Society held on 8th June, 1939, in the following terms: ... 'a special vote of thanks to Mr. R. Nicholson for his invaluable service to the Society in taking up the acting Secretaryship. ...' In forwarding this Resolution to you, I should like to add my own appreciation of your action in coming forward to help the Society in a time of such difficulty. ..." Major General Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George Cambridge, 1874-1957), was born His Serene Highness Prince Alexander of Teck (1874-1957). The son of Prince Francis, Duke of Teck, and the younger brother of Queen Mary, Alexander renounced his German title during WWI, and he was created Earl of Athlone (third creation) in 1917 (the title became extinct at his death). Alexander, who saw service with the 7th Hussars (1894), in the Boer War (1898-1901) and in WWI, was later appointed Governor-General of South Africa (1924-1931) and Governor-General of Canada (1940-1946), during which time he hosted the Quebec Conferences in 1943 and 1944. The Earl, married to a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, lived to see the coronation of his great niece, Queen Elizabeth II. One vertical and one horizontal fold. Lightly worn Lightly creased. Light nicks and tears at edges. Pencil note (unknown hand) at top right corner. Otherwise, fine condition.