Katharine, the Duchess of Kent has died at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The royal, who was the oldest member of the Firm, was married to Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent — who was the first cousin to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
“It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent,” the palace said in a statement.
“Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla, who are currently at Balmoral, have been informed.
The monarch, 76, has approved Royal Mourning until the day of the funeral. A cause of death has not been revealed.
“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 organizations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people,” the palace’s statement concluded.
Following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in Sept. 2022 at age 96, Katharine became the oldest living member of the royal family.
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She wore that title proudly, and continued to advocate for children’s welfare well into the later years of her life.
While her life as a duchess saw her carry out regular royal engagements, she stepped back from using her HRH title in 2002 to live a life away from the public spotlight.
In a surprising career move, the virtuoso went on to become a school music teacher, being affectionally known as “Mrs. Kent” to pupils and fellow staffers.
Born as Katharine Worsley in 1933, the aristocrat — whose family owned acres of land in Yorkshire, England — became part of the royal family in 1961 after tying the knot with the Duke of Kent, a grandson of King George V.
Princess Anne served as one of the bridesmaids at the lavish nuptials, which took place at the York Minster Cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth II and her son, then-Prince Charles, were part of the congregation.
The duchess and her husband went on to welcome three children, and another was a stillborn.
The devastating loss, which took place in 1977, resulted in her suffering from “acute depression” and “nervous exhaustion” during a seven-week hospital stay.
She is survived by her husband, the Duke of Kent, aged 89, their sons George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, and Lord Nicholas Windsor, and daughter Lady Helen Taylor.
