Katharine, Duchess of Kent, dies at 92


LONDON (AP) — The Duchess of Kent, who famously broke royal protocol to hug a Wimbledon runner-up and stepped away from family duties to teach music in a public school, has died, Buckingham Palace announced Friday. She was 92.

Born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley, the duchess was married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II. She died Thursday at her home in Kensington Palace.

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FILE – Britain’s Katherine, Duchess of Kent, right, and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, and then President of the Soviet Women’s Committee, chat together at the Women of the Year luncheon, at London’s Savoy Hotel on Oct. 22, 1984. (AP Photo/John Redman, file)

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The royal presented trophies at Wimbledon for many years and was known for consoling runners-up, most notably when she embraced a tearful Jana Novotna after the Czech tennis player’s defeat by Steffi Graf in 1993.

The duchess, who preferred to be known as Mrs. Kent, stepped back from royal life to teach music for more than a decade at a public school in northeast England. The pianist, organist and singer founded the charity Future Talent to break down barriers for young musicians and provide them with instruments.



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