Katharine, Duchess of Kent, holds the excellence of being the oldest residing member of the British royal household following the dying of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Born Katharine Worsley, she made a big resolution in 2002 when she requested permission from the Queen to step down from her royal duties.
This led her to tackle an sudden function that remained largely secret for a few years. This is a more in-depth take a look at her life, departure from royal duties, and the stunning job she selected afterward.
Katharine was born in 1933 to Sir William Worsley, the 4th Baronet of Hovingham, and his spouse, Girl Mary. In 1956, she met Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a grandson of George V, and first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II. On the time, Edward was stationed with the Armed Forces in Catterick Garrison, Yorkshire.
The 2 have been engaged 5 years later, and their marriage adopted in June 1961 at York Minster. Their marriage ceremony was vital for a number of causes. It was the primary royal marriage ceremony held at York Minster since Edward III married Philippa of Hainault in 1328, and it marked the second time in trendy historical past {that a} British prince married an untitled lady. Katharine, then often known as Katharine Worsley, was the one daughter of a rich landowner.
The couple went on to have three youngsters: George, Earl of St Andrews; Girl Helen Taylor; and Lord Nicholas Windsor. Nonetheless, their household life was marked by tragedy.
In 1975, Katharine suffered a miscarriage after contracting rubella throughout being pregnant, and simply two years later, she gave beginning to a stillborn son named Patrick.
Katharine overtly spoke in regards to the toll these tragedies took on her psychological well being. In 1977, she shared her expertise with melancholy after the stillbirth of her son. “It had essentially the most devastating impact on me,” she informed The Telegraph. “I had no concept how devastating such a factor could possibly be to any lady. It made me extraordinarily understanding of others who are suffering a stillbirth.”
These private struggles led Katharine to take a while away from royal duties, and it was throughout this era that she started specializing in her psychological well-being and spirituality. She later turned a dedicated member of the Catholic Church, a choice she made in 1994, which gained consideration when she confirmed that the Queen had given her approval.
Katharine defined in a BBC interview that the construction and self-discipline of Catholicism appealed to her. “I do love pointers, and the Catholic Church gives you pointers,” she mentioned. “I’ve at all times wished that in my life. I prefer to know what’s anticipated of me. I like being informed: You shall go to church on Sunday, and for those who do not, you are in for it!”
In 2002, Katharine, now in her 60s, made the daring resolution to step down from her royal duties. She requested Queen Elizabeth II for permission to scale back her public royal engagements and, consequently, stopped utilizing the type “Her Royal Highness.”
As an alternative, she turned recognized informally as Katharine Kent or Katharine, Duchess of Kent. Nonetheless, her formal title within the Court docket Round remained HRH The Duchess of Kent.
Her resolution to step again was welcomed by the Queen, and Katharine’s new life away from the royal highlight allowed her to tackle a brand new, stunning function. She turned a music trainer at Wansbeck Major College in Kingston upon Hull. Katharine’s background as a proficient musician, mixed together with her need for privateness, led her to pursue this path.
Katharine’s new life as a trainer remained largely underneath the radar for a few years. She saved her royal connections a secret from her college students and their households. “Solely the pinnacle knew who I used to be,” she as soon as mentioned. In a 2022 interview with The Telegraph, Katharine shared that there was “no publicity about it in any respect – it simply appeared to work.”
Katharine did proceed to make occasional appearances at main royal occasions. She attended the 2011 marriage ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, and the 2018 marriage ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Nonetheless, she didn’t attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, nor did she take part within the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.
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