Katharine, Duchess of Kent died on Thursday, per a statement made by Buckingham Palace. The British royal family member was 92.
“It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent,” the statement from Buckingham Palace began. “Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.”
(L-R) Katharine, Duchess of Kent, Rajinder Singh MBE, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Kate Middleton attend The Championships, Wimbledon on July 2, 2021 in London.
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Katharine, who was the oldest member of the British royal family, was married to Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla along with “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 organizations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”
Czech tennis player Jana Novotna (1968-2017) is consoled by British Royal Katharine, Duchess of Kent after losing the women’s singles final at the 1993 The Championships, Wimbledon on July 3, 1993 in London.
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The Duchess of Kent was a longtime fan of tennis and regularly attended The Championships, Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. During the 2021 tournament, the Duchess of Kent attended the grand slam tournament alongside her husband and Kate Middleton. The royal famously consoled Czech tennis player Jana Novotná following her loss at the tournament in 1993.
The Duchess of Kent was an ardent advocate for organizations supporting young people and often combined her love of music with her support of youth programs through her initiatives as a member of the British royal family. In 2016, the Duchess of Kent hosted a young musicians performance at Buckingham Palace.
The Duchess of Kent at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 22, 2000 in London.
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The Duchess of Kent previously worked in the mid-’90s as a part-time music teacher at Wansbeck Primary School in Kingston upon Hull, per the BBC.
Born to an aristocratic family in Yorkshire, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1961, becoming an official member of the royal family. The Duchess of Kent is survived by her three children — George, Earl of St. Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor and Lord Nicholas Windsor — along with her ten grandchildren.