The original 'Caring Kate'
The Royal Editor on the late Duchess of Kent, whose warmth won hearts
Hi Royal Clubbers, it’s Emily on what is a sad day for royals and royal fans alike.
She was the glamorous royal who turned her back on official duties to pursue her dreams, going on to achieve them in a typically understated and unassuming way.
The Duchess of Kent, who died late last night at the age of 92, preferred to be known as plain Katharine Kent and enjoyed a hugely fulfilling career as a music teacher, working for 13 years at a secondary school in Hull, east Yorkshire.
Announcing her death “with deep sadness,” Buckingham Palace paid tribute to her “life-long” devotion to her charities and empathy for young people.
The Prince and Princess of Wales later added their own tribute, saying, “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.”
You can read more about the Duchess, who was known as Kate, in her obituary here, but I wanted to pick out just a couple of aspects of her character that I think marked her out as a very modern royal in her time.