Gerald David Lascelles

Gerald David Lascelles was born on 21 August 1924 at Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough, West Riding of Yorkshire. He was the younger son of Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood, and Mary, Princess Royal, the only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary. As a result of his maternal lineage, Lascelles was a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. His full title was The Honourable Gerald Lascelles.

Lascelles was baptised in October 1924 at St. Mary's Church in Goldsborough, with proxies representing the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) and the Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth) serving as his godparents. The baptism was held privately. At his birth, he was seventh in line to the British throne. He received his education at Eton College.

On 15 July 1952, Lascelles married Angela Dowding at St. Margaret's Church in Westminster. Following their marriage, the couple resided at Albion Mews in W2. In 1955, they moved to Fort Belvedere in Surrey, a former country residence of his uncle, Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor. The marriage produced one son, Henry Ulick Lascelles, born on 19 May 1953. Henry married Alexandra Morton on 25 August 1979 (divorced in 1999), and later Fiona Wilmott in 2006. He has one son, Maximillian John Gerald, born on 19 December 1991.

Gerald Lascelles and Angela Dowding divorced in July 1978. Subsequently, on 17 November 1978, Lascelles married Elizabeth Colvin, an actress (née Elizabeth Evelyn Collingwood), in Vienna. Elizabeth Colvin was born on 23 April 1924 and died on 14 January 2006. This second marriage resulted in a son, Martin David Lascelles, born on 9 February 1962 in London. Martin married Charmaine Eccleston on 23 April 1999, and they have a son, Alexander Joshua, born 20 September 2002. Martin also fathered an illegitimate daughter, Georgina Elizabeth, with singer Carol Anne Douet, born on 22 December 1988.

Throughout his life, Lascelles held various positions related to motorsport and industry. He served as president of the British Racing Drivers' Club from 1964 to 1991, succeeding Lord Howe. He was briefly a racing driver himself. In 1985, he was appointed Grand Marshal for the Bathurst 1000 touring car race in Australia, an invitation extended by the Australian Racing Drivers Club. He also served as president of the Institute of the Motor Industry during 1969–73 and 1975–77. Additionally, he was a company director at Silverstone Circuits Ltd and Silverstone Leisure Ltd, as well as at Smith & Grace (Sales) Ltd and Green Crop Conservation Ltd.

Lascelles had a keen interest in jazz music. He contributed articles to Jazz Journal and collaborated with Sinclair Traill, the magazine’s editor, in compiling the "Just Jazz" yearbooks in the 1950s.

Gerald David Lascelles passed away in Bergerac, France, on 27 February 1998, at the age of 73. He was a recipient of the King George VI Coronation Medal, awarded on 12 May 1937. Portraits of him can be found at the National Portrait Gallery in London.