Barely-seen royal who gave up title makes rare public appearance in wheelchair
Today, the Duke of Kent celebrated his 89th birthday and was seen being serenaded with bagpipes outside his Kensington Palace home - and was joined by his wife the Duchess of Kent, who was seen using a wheelchair for the first time
A rarely-seen royal who gave up her title and duties to take a secret job has made a rare public appearance in a wheelchair.
The Duchess of Kent, who is the oldest member of the Firm at age 91, was pictured today alongside her husband the Duke of Kent as he celebrated his 89th birthday with a musical performance outside their Kensington Palace home. The duke, a cousin of the late Queen, was joined by his wife as well as his brother Prince Michael of Kent as he was serenaded with Happy Birthday on the bagpipe outside the entrance of his Kensington Palace home, Wren House.
It was the first time that his wife, Katharine, had been pictured sitting in a wheelchair, with a blue shawl around her shoulders. It was an ultra-rare appearance for the duchess, who did not attend the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, nor the former monarch’s funeral or King Charles’ Coronation.
Katharine, who prefers to be known as Mrs Kent, dropped her HRH style and retreated from royal life to spend more than a decade teaching music in a state primary school in Hull. Also there for the birthday celebrations was the duke and duchess’s son Lord Nicholas Windsor.
The family watched as three pipers from Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) performed tunes including Happy Birthday, Hills Of Biggar and Scotland The Brave in the open air.
The duke served as an officer in The Royal Scots Greys, which eventually became the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, between 1955 and 1971 and was posted to Hong Kong, Cyprus and Northern Ireland. He is its deputy colonel-in-chief.
