She was named after her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra; her grandmother, Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia; and both of her maternal aunts, Countess Elizabeth of Törring-Jettenbach and Princess Olga of Yugoslavia.

[6][9] Ogilvy presented Alexandra with an engagement ring made of a cabochon sapphire set in gold and surrounded by diamonds on both sides.

[9] The bride wore a wedding gown of Valenciennes lace, with matching veil and train, designed by John Cavanagh.

[16][17] In an interview with a tabloid at the time, Marina had claimed that her parents had cut off her trust fund and monthly allowance due to their disapproval of her conduct.

[16] She also said that she wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth II, addressing her "Dear Cousin Lilibet", asking her to intervene in the family dispute.

[18][19] Beginning in the late 1950s, Princess Alexandra carried out an extensive programme of engagements in support of the Queen, both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

[9] The Alexandra Waltz was composed for this visit by radio announcer Russ Tyson, and television musical director, Clyde Collins.

Later overseas tours included visits to Canada, Italy, Oman, Hungary, Norway, Japan, Thailand, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.

[9] Princess Alexandra launched the New Zealand Leander-class frigate HMNZS Waikato at Harland and Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1965.

Princess Alexandra served as chancellor of Lancaster University from its foundation in 1964 until she relinquished the post in 2004[29] (when she also accepted an honorary degree in Music).

[36] Until it was abolished in 2013, Princess Alexandra received £225,000 per year from the Civil List to cover the cost of official expenses,[37] although as with the other members of the royal family (except the Duke of Edinburgh) the Queen repaid this amount to HM Treasury.

She is also a patron of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals;[39] the English National Opera;[40] the London Philharmonic Choir;[41] the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra;[42] Wigmore Hall;[42] the Florence Nightingale Foundation;[43] the not-for-profit housing association Anchor;[44] the charity Independent Age;[45] St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham, England;[46] Core, a National charity in London dedicated to funding research into digestive diseases and which also publishes information leaflets on the most common diseases of the gut and liver;[47] the Nature in Art Trust;[48] and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA),[49][50] the oldest drama school in the English-speaking world.

[54] In her role as president of Sightsavers UK, the Princess visited Washington D.C. in October 2016 to attend the Neglected Tropical Diseases NGDO Network conference partnership reception.

[56] In May 2023, Alexandra appeared alongside other working members of the royal family in photos in the Throne Room and on Buckingham Palace balcony following the coronation of King Charles III, which she had attended earlier that day.