Duchess of Kent, Known for Her Association with Wimbledon, Passes Away at 92
The Duchess of Kent, wife of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin and renowned for her long-standing association with the Wimbledon tennis tournament, has died at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Born Katharine Worsley, she entered the royal family in 1961 upon her marriage to the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward, whom she had met five years earlier while he was stationed at a military barracks in northern England.
Buckingham Palace said the Duchess passed away peacefully at her home in Kensington Palace on Thursday night, surrounded by her family.
A statement read: “The King and Queen, along with all members of the Royal Family, mourn with the Duke of Kent, his children, and grandchildren, and remember with gratitude the Duchess’s lifelong dedication to her charities, her passion for music, and her compassion for young people.”
The Duchess will be most fondly remembered for her decades-long association with Wimbledon, where she began presenting trophies in 1969. One of the tournament’s most touching moments came in 1993, when she comforted runner-up Jana Novotná, who broke down in tears after losing the final, assuring her: “I know you’ll win this one day, don’t worry.” Five years later, Novotná did indeed lift the coveted title.
Her relationship with Wimbledon, however, grew strained in 1999 after she was denied permission to bring a grieving friend’s 12-year-old son into the Royal Box.
The Duchess also made headlines in 1994 when she converted to Roman Catholicism, becoming the first senior female member of the Royal Family to do so since King Charles II in 1685. In doing so, she defied an 18th-century law that prohibited royals from becoming Catholic.
A mother of three and grandmother of ten, she was deeply passionate about music. Alongside supporting numerous music charities, she spent years teaching music at a school in Hull, in England’s northeast.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute, saying: “She brought compassion, dignity, and a human touch to everything she did. The image of her consoling Jana Novotná at Wimbledon remains vivid for many. Later, it emerged she was quietly dedicating her time as a music teacher in Hull—an enduring reflection of her humility.”
Continuing the achievement of the journey of effectiveness and credibility of more than 10 years in the career of journalism, as a woman journalist, I am Serving as the founder, promoter and editor of DiaryTimes with the trust and support of all. My credible coverage may not have given a big shape to the numbers, but my journey presents articles that make you aware of the exact and meaningful situations of Himachal’s politics, ground issues related to the public, business, tourism and the difficult geographical conditions of the state and financial awareness. DiaryTimes, full of the experience of my precise editorial expertise, is awakening the flame of credible journalism among all of you, so that the eternal flame of meaningful change can be lit in the life of the people of the state and the atrocities being committed against the people can be brought to the fore, I am motivated for that. If even a small change comes with the power of my journalism and the whole world becomes a witness to that issues, then I will consider myself fortunate.
