Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: Life and royal career

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent watch from the balcony at Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony parade on June 2, 2022 in LondonGetty

A look at Prince Edward, Duke of Kent's life and royal career.

The Duke of Kent was born Prince Edward on 9 October 1935 at the family's London home, 3 Belgrave Square. He was baptised as Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick. He is older brother to Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra and is first cousin to both the late Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh.

His father was Prince George, Duke of Kent, the younger brother of King George VI (The Queen's father) and King Edward VIII. His mother, Princess Marina, was the daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece.

Wishing The Duke of Kent a very Happy 89th Birthday today! 🎂 pic.twitter.com/FsIQnRpimV
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) October 9, 2024

In 1942 his father Prince George, then Duke of Kent, died in a wartime flying accident near Caithness in Scotland while on active service. The title Duke of Kent then passed to the present Duke.

The Duke went to school at Ludgrove preparatory school in Berkshire (which later Prince Harry also attended) and afterward went on to study at Eton, where he enjoyed rowing. He then went on to study at Le Rosey in Switzerland where he captained his regimental ski team in the Army championships.

When his uncle King George VI died in 1952, The Duke of Kent, aged 16, walked in the procession behind The King's coffin during the State Funeral. A year later in 1953, he attended the Coronation of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II. During the Coronation Service, he paid homage to Queen Elizabeth, making a pledge of loyalty to the Sovereign, after Prince Philip and Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

At the age of 18, The Duke of Kent joined The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey, where he won the Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for foreign languages and qualified as an interpreter of French.

In 1961 The Duke of Kent became engaged to Miss Katharine Worsley and they married in York Minster on 8 June. The couple had met while The Duke was based at Catterick Camp Army base in Yorkshire.

The Duke and Duchess of Kent have three children: George, Earl of St Andrews, born on 28 June 1962; Lady Helen Taylor, born on 18 July 1964 and Lord Nicholas Windsor, born on 25 July 1970. None of their children carry out official Royal duties. They have ten grandchildren. The Duke and Duchess live at Wren House Kensington Palace, and in Oxfordshire.

The Duke of Kent is involved with over 140 different charities, organisations and professional bodies which cover a wide range of issues, from commemorating the war dead, to fostering the development of British technology and industry. His Royal Highness undertakes numerous engagements each year in support of these organisations, both in the UK and across the Commonwealth.