Duchess of Kent Dies at 92
Buckingham Palace has announced with “deep sorrow” that the Duchess of Kent, aged 92, has peacefully passed away at Kensington Palace surrounded by her family. Buckingham Palace said in the statement that the King, Queen, and all the members of the Royal Family remember Katharine as a woman of deep empathy, devotion to young people, and a lifelong passion for music. The flag at Buckingham Palace has been lowered to half-mast in her honour.
Born Katharine Worsley, she married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1961, joining the Royal Family and taking on royal duties. But she forged her own path, converting to Catholicism in 1994. Later, she quietly dropped her HRH title, choosing to go by “Mrs Kent” while teaching music at a primary school in Hull, where few knew of her royal status.
Best known to many for her decades-long presence at Wimbledon, she was often seen presenting trophies and comforting players. In 1993, she famously embraced a tearful Jana Novotna, telling her, “I know you will win it one day, don’t worry.” Novotna did just that five years later. But her relationship with the tournament later soured when she was denied permission to bring a bereaved friend’s 12-year-old son into the Royal Box.
The duchess spoke openly about personal struggles, including “acute depression” after the stillbirth of her son in 1977. Her commitment to music as a healing force led her to set up a charity promoting music education in underprivileged areas. She is survived by the Duke of Kent, their two sons, daughter, and ten grandchildren. Funeral details will be shared in the coming days.
