Tributes have been pouring in following the death of Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, at the age of 92. Buckingham Palace confirmed that she passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.
The Palace statement read: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. 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.”
The Duchess, who stepped back from royal duties in 2002 to teach music, founded the Future Talent charity in 2004, which supports young musicians from low-income backgrounds. The charity paid tribute, saying: “Everyone at Future Talent is deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Katharine - our Co-Founder and the visionary behind our charity.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also led tributes, recalling her compassion and dignity, particularly her comforting of tennis player Jana Novotna at Wimbledon. He noted her unassuming nature, having worked anonymously as a music teacher in Hull.
Her granddaughter, Lady Amelia Windsor, shared a black-and-white photograph on Instagram with a red heart emoji. Former royal butler Grant Harrold described her as “a truly lovely lady” who would be a great loss to the Royal Family.
