The Duchess of Kent has died at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace has said.
Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully on Thursday night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by close family members.
Katharine was best known for consoling losing Wimbledon finalists, notably a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993, and presented trophies at the championships for many years.
“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”, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Obituary: The Duchess of Kent touched the world at Wimbledon and quietly become a music teacher
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared their own personal tribute.
In a statement released on their social media channels, William and Kate wrote: “Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.
“The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music.
“She will be a much missed member of the family. W & C”.
A message from The Prince and Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/0VPYJr8j4Z
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 5, 2025
Married to the Duke of Kent since 1961, the duchess was known for her long-standing dedication to public service, her passion for music and her support for charities, particularly those involving young people and education.
She preferred to be known as Mrs Kent and dropped her HRH style, retreating from royal life to spend more than a decade teaching music in a state primary school in Hull.
The duchess, who became the oldest member of the royal family following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, stepped back from public royal duties in 2002 but remained closely associated with several organisations and cultural institutions.
The King, who is currently at Balmoral, was informed of his cousin’s death late on Thursday night. Other members of the Royal Family were also told.
Royal Mourning has been approved by His Majesty and will continue until the day of the funeral. During this period, members of the Royal Family and staff will wear clothing that pays appropriate tribute, while those in livery, the Royal Mews and troops on public duties will wear black armbands.
It will be for the Government to decide whether national mourning is observed.
The Duke of Sussex sent his condolences privately to the Duchess of Kent's family.
Harry, who is returning to the UK next week for the WellChild Awards, will continue with his engagements as planned, it is understood.
Funeral details will be announced in due course.
The Palace has said that arrangements will reflect the Duchess’s personal wishes, with further information — including whether it will be a Catholic service.
A Catholic funeral service would be the first held for a member of the royal family in modern British history.
Attendance by the King, the Queen, and other members of the Royal Family will also be confirmed nearer the time.
The Royal website will carry a full obituary, and an online Book of Condolence is expected to be opened in the coming days.
The union flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast at midday as a mark of respect and a formal framed announcement will be posted on the railings of the royal residence shortly.
A devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith, the duchess became the first member of the royal family to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years, doing so in 1994.
The duchess volunteered for the Samaritans, toured countries as a Unicef ambassador and, in 2004, founded the charity Future Talent.
The organisation, whose ambassadors include the musician Sting, works to break down barriers and give children from low-income backgrounds equal opportunities to excel in music by helping with the purchase of instruments and funding of music lessons.
The duchess - a skilled pianist, organist and singer - secretly began teaching music at state primary schools in East Yorkshire and Hammersmith, west London.
After visiting Wansbeck Primary School in Hull in 1996, she offered to help with music teaching and gave a weekly 40-minute lesson, as well as working with its choir, spending 13 years at the school.
The Yorkshire-born duchess said: "I love those children, I loved being there and I love East Hull. I wouldn't have stayed there for 13 years if I hadn't."
She also taught part-time in a school attended by children who lived in Grenfell Tower and in 2018 attended a memorial service at the base of the high-rise building to mark the first anniversary of the fire which claimed 72 lives.
Born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley on February 22 1933, she had an aristocratic upbringing as the only daughter of landowner Colonel Sir William Worsley - a baronet - and Lady Worsley of Hovingham Hall, near York.
She married King George V's grandson Edward, Duke of Kent, dubbed Steady Eddie by the royal family for his dependable service, in a grand ceremony in York Minster in 1961 and became known for her elegant fashion style.
The pair have three surviving children, George, Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen Windsor, and Lord Nicholas Windsor.
The duchess suffered heartbreak after catching German measles while pregnant in 1975, forcing her to have a termination, and then two years later she endured the devastation of giving birth to a stillborn son, Patrick.
She went on to suffer from depression and nervous strain, and also faced a number of other health issues including a recurrent gallbladder problem, treatment for an ovarian cyst, and the Epstein-Barr virus with symptoms resembling those of ME or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Her appearance at Wimbledon to present winners' trophies became a familiar feature of the summer sporting calendar and she was famed for offering support to disappointed runners-up.
She put aside royal formalities in 1993, hugging a tearful Jana Novotna after she lost the ladies' singles final to Steffi Graff.
