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Who Is Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent Who Recently Died at the Age of 92?
The royal family announced on Friday, September 5, that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent had died one day earlier on Thursday, September 4, at the age of 92. Following the announcement, fans are likely wondering who was Katharine, Duchess of Kent.
Who Was Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent?
Her royal title may have been Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent, though she was born as Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley in Yorkshire in 1933. She was not born into royalty, though she came from a wealthy family. Her grandfather John Brunner founded a paint and chemical company which ultimately evolved into ICI.
Despite having a royal title, Katharine preferred to go by her given name. “I don’t like being a public figure and I say that very humbly,” she once admitted, per the BBC. “It’s my nature, the way I was born. I like to do things quietly behind the scenes. I’m a very shy person.”
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How Did Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent Become Royal?
Katharine became royal when she met and married her husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1961. Their wedding was a grand affair and was attended by Hollywood stars Noel Coward and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., while Queen Elizabeth II led a procession of the royal families of Europe.
Did Katharine, Duchess of Kent and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent Have Children?
Katharine and Edward became parents when she welcomed baby No. 1, son George, Earl of St Andrews, in June 1962. Their family continued to expand when they welcomed their daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, in April 1964. The family became complete in July 1970 when Katharine gave birth to son Lord Nicholas Windsor.
What Were Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent’s Royal Duties?
She was perhaps best known for handing out trophies at Wimbledon each year, while she also made several public appearances as a member of the royal family.
However, Katharine stepped away from her royal duties and started working as a music teacher at Wansbeck Primary School in Kingston. She made sure to keep her royal status a secret, with only the headteacher knowing who she really was.
“Primary school children are like little sponges,” Katharine said, per the BBC. “They are very eager to learn, so teaching them is very satisfying.”
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Additionally, she founded the charity Future Talent in 2004. The organization gave children from deprived backgrounds the opportunity to learn music.
What Was Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent’s Cause of Death?
Katharine’s cause of death has not yet been revealed.
In the royal family’s announcement via Instagram, they explained that she “passed away peacefully” while “surrounded by her family.”
“The King and Queen and all Members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people,” the caption concluded.
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