LONDON (AP) — The Duchess of Kent, who famously broke royal protocol to hug a Wimbledon runner-up and stepped away from family duties to teach music in a public school, has died, Buckingham Palace announced Friday. She was 92.
Born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley, the duchess was married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II. She died Thursday at her home in Kensington Palace.
Jana Novotna is consoled by Katherine, Duchess of Kent, after the Ladies Singles final at Wimbledon in 1993. (Denis Paquin/Associated Press Archives)
The royal presented trophies at Wimbledon for many years and was known for consoling runners-up, most notably when she embraced a tearful Jana Novotna after the Czech tennis player’s defeat by Steffi Graf in 1993.
The duchess, who preferred to be known as Mrs. Kent, stepped back from royal life to teach music for more than a decade at a public school in northeast England. The pianist, organist and singer founded the charity Future Talent to break down barriers for young musicians and provide them with instruments.
“She brought compassion, dignity and a human touch to everything she did,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who extended his condolences. “When it was discovered she had been giving her time and working anonymously as a music teacher at a school in Hull, it seemed typical of her unassuming nature.”
She was the first royal to convert to Catholicism in over three centuries and volunteered for the suicide-prevention group Samaritans.
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King Charles III and the rest of the royal family said in a statement that they mourned the loss and fondly remembered “the Duchess’s lifelong devotion to all the organizations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”
The flag was lowered to half-staff at Buckingham Palace at noon to pay respect to the duchess.
The duchess was born Feb. 22, 1933 as the only daughter to aristocrat Col. Sir William Worsley, a baronet, and Lady Worsley of Hovingham Hall, near York.
She married Edward, King George V’s grandson, in a lavish 1961 ceremony.
She leaves Edward and three children, George, Earl of St. Andrews, Lady Helen Windsor, and Lord Nicholas Windsor.