Although much less famous than his late cousin, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Kent has had a noteworthy royal career. Now 88 years old, Prince Edward has spent his life serving Britain and the monarchy. A veteran and tennis enthusiast, Prince is certainly a well-rounded person. He became the Duke of Kent at the age of seven, following the tragic death of his father, Prince George, in a plane crash.
Prince Edward and the Duchess of Kent. They met on a military base
The couple met in the late 1950s when Edward was living at Catterick Camp, an English military base. Nearby was Hovington Hall, where Katharine Worsley lived. She had a passion for music since childhood. Eventually, her passion also became her way of life, as she became a music teacher in primary school. Worsley, then 23, fell in love at first sight with the prince, who was two years her junior. Their love, however, was met with opposition from Edward’s mother, who considered Worsley a “people’s girl”. In 1959, Princess Marina decided to separate the lovers for a year.
Edward was stationed in Germany for a year, but as soon as the time of separation was over, the couple decided to meet. The impatient prince, while running to his bride, broke a bone in his foot and fell down the stairs, landing straight at Worsley’s feet. The lovers finally received approval for the wedding and were married on June 8, 1961 in York in a church. After the wedding, they lived in two places: in Oxfordshire and in Kensington Palace.
Prince Edward and Katharine Worsley. Fate did not spare them
The Duke and Duchess of Kent were seen as compatible from the very beginning. The couple had three children: George, Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor and Lord Nicholas Windsor. However, there were many private tragedies in their lives. In 1975, when she was pregnant, she contracted rubella. Due to the threat to her life, she had to make a decision having an abortion. Two years later, their son Patrick was born. However, the boy was born stillborn.
The Duke and Duchess of Kent came into the spotlight in 1994. Change of religion
When it came to light in 1994 that Princess Katharine changes religion from Anglican to Roman Catholic, The royal couple of Kent were in the spotlight throughout Great Britain. This decision came as a shock to many Britons. The princess herself decided to take such a step in the face of the tragedies that affected her life, e.g. the loss of a child. However, this situation was the first in history, as none of the British members converted because the Act of the Settlement (British constitutional act) was in force. According to its provisions, no member of the British family can both be Catholic and retain the right to the line of succession to the throne. However, this act turned out to be non-binding for the Duchess and the Duke of Kent, because she converted after the wedding. Moreover, Queen Elizabeth II herself agreed to it.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
