Britain's royal family announces death of Duchess of Kent at 92
Britain's royal family is mourning the death of its oldest member, the Duchess of Kent.
The duchess, Katharine, died on Thursday at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace announced Friday.
"Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family," the palace said in a statement. "The King and Queen and all Members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people."
The duchess became part of the royal family in the early 1960s, when she married Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The duke and duchess shared three children together: George, Helen and Nicholas.
Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales, sent well wishes to the duchess's family in their statement after her death, writing, "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," William and Kate wrote in a message shared on social media. "She will be a much missed member of the family."
The duchess was a staple at royal family functions, including appearing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, until her retirement from being a working royal in 2002.
Her most high-profile royal appearances came each summer during the Wimbledon tennis championships, where she would watch matches from the Royal Box.
The duchess was also a frequent presence on the court after the championship matches, when she would hand over trophies to the winners, and console those who finished runner-up.
