Katharine, Duchess of Kent, died on September 4, 2025, after an extended and fulfilling life. The late royal, who was 92, was the spouse of Duke of Kent, Prince Edward, the cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Although Katharine maintained a extra personal life-style than the remainder of the royal household, she was identified for her pursuits in music and tennis.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the late duchess’ dying in an announcement, which learn, “The King and Queen and all members of the Royal Household be part of the Duke of Kent, his youngsters and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly the duchess’s life-long devotion to all of the organizations with which she was related, her ardour for music and her empathy for younger folks.”
Hollywood Life is remembering Katharine with 5 details about her under.
It’s with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace broadcasts the dying of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent.
Her Royal Highness handed away peacefully final night time at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her household.
The King and Queen and all Members of The Royal Household be part of The Duke… pic.twitter.com/OsCeb3pQ7d
— The Royal Household (@RoyalFamily) September 5, 2025
Katharine Was the First Royal to Publicly Convert to Catholicism
Within the mid-Nineties, Katharine turned the primary member of the royal household to publicly convert to Catholicism for the reason that Act of Settlement 1701, which disqualified any inheritor from inheriting the throne. Nonetheless, Katharine was not within the line of succession, so the act didn’t have an effect on her in any method.
However, her non secular conversion made headlines on the time. At one level, per the Mirror, she mentioned her choice for pointers, crediting the Catholic Church with having these for followers.
“I do love pointers, and the Catholic Church affords you pointers. I’ve all the time needed that in my life,” Katharine beforehand stated. “I wish to know what’s anticipated of me. I like being instructed: ‘You shall go to church on Sunday and in case you don’t you’re in for it!’”
Katharine Was Vocal About Her Nineteen Seventies Fertility Struggles
In 1975, Katharine had a miscarriage and gave beginning to a stillborn son named Patrick two years later. The latter led to despair, which she publicly acknowledged.
“It had essentially the most devastating impact on me,” she instructed the Every day Telegraph in 1997. “I had no thought how devastating such a factor might be to any lady. It has made me extraordinarily understanding of others who are suffering a stillbirth. … I suffered from acute despair for some time. I believe it could be a reasonably uncommon particular person who didn’t collapse below these circumstances. The newborn was born useless at 9 months. It was a horrible factor to occur.”
Katharine Stepped Again From Most Royal Duties in 2002
Recognized for defying expectations as a royal, Katharine selected to step again from her public duties in 2002. Although she didn’t keep away from all associated occasions, she didn’t attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral nor King Charles III‘s coronation.
Katharine stopped utilizing the Her Royal Highness title, although she was nonetheless formally referred to as HRH Duchess of Kent, as Buckingham Palace acknowledged in its announcement of her dying in 2025.
Katharine Was an Avid Choir Member & Wimbledon Staple
The late Duchess of Kent carried out in a number of choirs all through her life as an avid singer and music fanatic. She additionally turned a staple on the Wimbledon Championships, presenting the Women’ Single Trophy to winners for greater than 30 years.
Katharine Lived With a Few Well being Points Earlier than Her Demise
Along with her miscarriage and stillbirth within the ’70s, Katharine was additionally hospitalized in 1978 with coeliac illness and Epstein–Barr virus, per studies from the BBC.
