Prince Edward, Duke Of Kent

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick), was born on 9 October 1935 at No. 3 Belgrave Square, London. He is the elder son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. His paternal grandparents were King George V and Queen Mary, and his maternal grandparents were Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia.

His baptism took place at Buckingham Palace’s Private Chapel on 20 November 1935, with Archbishop of Canterbury Cosmo Lang officiating. His godparents included members of the British royal family and other European royalty.

Edward's early education was at Ludgrove, a preparatory school in Berkshire, followed by Eton College and Le Rosey in Switzerland. He then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he won the Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for foreign languages. He is fluent in French.

On 25 August 1942, at age six, Edward inherited the titles of Duke of Kent, Earl of St Andrews, and Baron Downpatrick after his father was killed in a plane crash in Caithness. As a member of the royal family, he began performing engagements at an early age. Notably, he was present to walk behind the coffin of his uncle, King George VI, at his state funeral in 1952, and attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Edward pursued a military career after graduating from Sandhurst on 29 July 1955, joining the Royal Scots Greys as a second lieutenant. His military service lasted over two decades, during which he served in Hong Kong, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, and Eastern Command. He was promoted through ranks from lieutenant to major, lieutenant colonel, and ultimately retired as a full general (Field Marshal) on 15 April 1976. He received honorary ranks subsequently.

He married Katharine Worsley, daughter of Sir William Worsley, 4th Baronet, on 8 June 1961 at York Minster. Katharine converted to Catholicism in 1994, but due to the timing of the conversion, there was no change in her eligibility to remain in the line of succession. The Marriage and Succession Act 2013 later removed the disqualification. The couple had three children: George, Earl of St Andrews (born 1962), Lady Helen Taylor (born 1964), and Lord Nicholas Windsor (born 1970). Katharine Worsley died in September 2025.

Throughout his life, Edward has held numerous titles, honours, and roles. He has been involved with over 140 charitable organizations, including serving as President of The Scout Association since 1975, President of the Royal United Services Institute, and of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. He was also president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club from 1969 until 2021, and served as vice-chairman of British Trade International.

He has held military appointments as Colonel of the Scots Guards (1974-2024) and has received numerous national and international honours, including the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO), the Order of the Garter (KG), and medals for various jubilees and campaigns. He is a Royal Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and has authored a biography titled "A Royal Life" in 2022.

Edward has been involved with Freemasonry since 1963, serving as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England from 1967. He has also received various international decorations and medals.

Following the death of his wife in 2025, Edward became the oldest living member of the British royal family.