King Charles and Queen Camilla are mourning the death of Katherine, Duchess of Kent.
Buckingham Palace announced this afternoon that the Duchess of Kent died at Kensington Palace on Thursday evening, surrounded by family.
The Palace added that the King, Queen and members of the Royal Family are in mourning following the death of the much-loved royal.
The Buckingham Palace statement said: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent.
Buckingham Palace announced this afternoon that the Duchess of Kent died at Kensington Palace on Thursday evening, surrounded by family.
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“Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, 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.”
Katharine, Duchess of Kent, was the music-loving royal who captivated Wimbledon crowds as the tournament's trophy presenter.
She made history, converting to Roman Catholicism, defying centuries-old traditions, and quietly taught piano to underprivileged schoolchildren.
Katharine, Duchess of Kent, was the music-loving royal who captivated Wimbledon crowds as the tournament's trophy presenter.
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Her childhood was unusual for a royal - born in Yorkshire in 1933 with ancestral ties to Oliver Cromwell, who was responsible for overthrowing King Charles I, she received no formal education until she was 10.
She fell in love with music and, after school, worked in a children's home and as a nursery teacher.
Her life changed dramatically when she met Prince Edward, the late Queen's cousin. They married in 1961 in a grand ceremony at York Minster - the first royal wedding there in over 600 years.
The Duke and Duchess of Kent had three children together. She also tragically suffered a miscarriage after contracting rubella.
In 1993, she comforted a tearful Jana Novotna after the Czech tennis player lost the women's final.
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Then, in 1977, her son, Patrick, was stillborn. She plunged into deep depression, and later spoke openly about her experiences - one of the first members of the Royal Family to break royal taboos and raise public awareness.
But it was Wimbledon where she showed moments of genuine humanity. In 1993, she comforted a tearful Jana Novotna after the Czech tennis player lost the women's final.
The Duchess whispered: "Don't worry, you'll win it one day" - and she did, five years later, hugging The Duchess on Centre Court.
Katherine became the first senior member of the Royal Family to publicly convert to Catholicism since the Act of Settlement, which bars Catholics from the line of succession.
She converted with Queen Elizabeth's permission, who saw it as a personal matter of faith.
The Duchess of Kent held several royal patronages, advocating for inclusive arts education and, in 2016, hosted a concert at Buckingham Palace for young people.
Before stepping back from full-time royal duties in 2002, she represented Queen Elizabeth across the world, including Uganda, Australia and Sierra Leone.
But chronic fatigue syndrome meant public appearances in later life were rare.
She attended the wedding of the future Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011 and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's in 2018.
But, she skipped Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations and her funeral in 2022, as well as King Charles’s Coronation the following year.
Her final public appearance was last October at Kensington Palace, to watch the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards honour The Duke of Kent’s 89th birthday.
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