The Duchess of Kent, Katharine, who was the oldest member of the British royal family, died at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday.
“It is with deep grief that the Buckingham Palace announces the death of its royal at the Duchess of Kent,” the official statement read. “Her royal highness last night died peacefully in the Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.”
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The statement added: “The king and the queen, together with all members of the royal family, joined the Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren to mourn in their loss and remember the lifelong devotion to the Duchess to the organizations she supported, her love for music and her compassion for young people.”
Who was Katharine, Duchess of Kent?
Katharine married Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, the first cousin of the deceased Queen Elizabeth II. With her passage, the royal family lost one of their most striking and compassionate characters, BBC reported.
Early life and royal wedding
Katharine Worsley was born into an aristocratic, ground family in Yorkshire, joined the royal family when she married the Duke of Kent in 1961.
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Their wedding in York Minster was a great affair attended by the late Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and other older Royals. Princess Anne served as one of the bridesmaids.
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After her marriage, the Duchess became a well -known face at the royal events, taking over various official duties and at the same time carving her own path and identity in the royal family.
A well -known face in Wimbledon
Perhaps the most famous paintings of the Duchess come from many years at Wimbledon Tennis championships, where there was a regular presence in the royal box. She became known for her warm interaction with players and comforted Jan Novotna’s tear after her heartbreaking loss in the 1993 women’s singles, the BBC reported.
Five years later she returned to introduce the trophy of Novotny when she won the championship. In 2017, the Duchess expressed her deep sadness in the transition of Novotna from cancer aged 49 years.
Later, however, it was reported that after trying to bring the twelve -year -old son of the surviving friend to a royal box that was not allowed according to tournament rules, the Wimbledon authorities had dropped out.
Lifelong love for music and education
Music was in Katharin’s life defining passion. She sang with Bach Choir and described music for her deeply emotional, both as an artist and listener.
In the mid -90s, the Duchess took an unusual step for a royal family member: she became a part -time music teacher at Wansbeck Elementary School in Kingston on Hull. Students and parents knew her simply as Mrs. Kent, she didn’t know about her royal background, the BBC reported.
She moved deep by the challenges that children face in neglected neighborhoods, describing some housing farms as “as the Berlin walls around them”. Inspired to change, later founded a charity to provide young people access to musical instruments and education.
When she talked about her time as a teacher, she once said, “My connection will always be there.
Personal struggles and faith
The Duchess faced a personal tragedy in 1977, when her fourth child, son, still born. The loss led to a period of intense emotional confusion, during which she spent seven weeks in a hospital with what the palace officials described as “nervous exhaustion”.
At a time when mental health was less openly discussed, she later sincerely spoke about her fighting with acute depression.
In 1994, it made a historical decision to transform Catholicism and became the first royal senior to do so in more than 300 years. She described it as a “long -term personal decision” and was admitted to the Catholic Church by Cardinal Basil Hume.
After her conversion, she voluntarily applied for the Charity of Homelessness Passage, co -founded by Cardinal Hume, who now receives strong support from the Prince of Wales.
The life of a quiet service
Over the years, the Duchess gradually retreated from her public royal role and stopped using the title HRH, instead decided to focus on her charity and music education.
She was survived by her husband, the Duke of Kent, at the age of 89, and their three children, two sons and daughter.
On the coming days, an online condolence book will be opened and Buckingham Palace will soon announce the funeral details.
(Tagstotranslate) Online book for condolence
