The Duchess of Kent has died at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday with “deep sorrow.”
Gatekeepers News reports that a palace statement said Katharine, Duchess of Kent, “passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.” Flags at royal residences, including Buckingham Palace, have been lowered to half-mast, and a period of mourning will be observed until her funeral.
The Prince and Princess of Wales described her as a “much missed member of the family” who “worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music.”
King Charles, informed of her death late on Thursday at Balmoral, issued a statement with Queen Camilla and other family members, praising her “life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”
Born Katharine Worsley into a Yorkshire landowning family, she married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1961, joining the Royal Family as the late Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin by marriage. Princess Anne was among her bridesmaids at the York Minster wedding.
A familiar face at Wimbledon, the duchess was widely admired for her warmth. She famously consoled Czech player Jana Novotna after her heartbreaking defeat in 1993, before presenting her with the trophy five years later. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova paid tribute on Friday, saying the duchess had “affected millions of people around the globe in a positive way.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised her “compassion, dignity and a human touch in everything she did.” Prince Harry also sent condolences privately to the family.
The duchess will also be remembered for her love of teaching. In the mid-1990s she stepped back from royal life, teaching music at a Hull primary school where pupils knew her only as “Mrs Kent.” She later set up a charity to help disadvantaged children gain access to instruments, saying: “My connection will always be there. I love those children, I love East Hull.”
Her faith was central to her life. In 1994, she became the first senior royal in more than 300 years to convert to Catholicism, describing it as “a long-pondered personal decision.” She went on to volunteer at charities such as The Passage, supporting the homeless, and Childline. Dame Esther Rantzen said she was “an amazing woman” who “sacrificed herself for the sake of others.”
The duchess endured personal struggles, including the stillbirth of a son in 1977, which led to what palace officials then described as “nervous exhaustion.” She later spoke openly about her battle with depression at a time when mental health was rarely discussed publicly.
She is survived by the Duke of Kent, 89, their two sons and a daughter. A Catholic funeral service is expected, though the date has not yet been confirmed.
