King Charles has announced that he is marking the Duke of Kent’s milestone 90th birthday with a very special present. Alongside a picture of the two of them, which looked to have been taken from the day of the King’s coronation in 2023, the King shared the special present alongside a birthday message.
The post shared on @royalfamily on X read: “Wishing The Duke of Kent a very happy birthday – 90 today! [red-balloon emoji]
“Later this month, The King will host a birthday reception for The Duke, who was Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin, at Windsor Castle.”
Although he has not completely stopped royal engagements, he has significantly scaled back his visits in recent years.
The honour comes just weeks after the death of the Duke of Kent’s beloved wife, Katharine, Duchess of Kent on September 4.
The following day after the death of his wife of 64 years, Buckingham Palace shared a statement: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent.
“Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.
“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 Duke of Kent had been married to Katharine since 1961, with the couple known to have been much-loved members of the family.
Joined by other members of the family, including the King, the Duke of Kent was in attendance at her funeral last month.
