Princess Marina Of Greece And Denmark

Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (Greek: Μαρίνα; born 13 December [O.S. 30 November] 1906 – died 27 August 1968) was a member of the Greek and Danish royal families by birth and acquired the title of British princess through marriage. She was known as the Duchess of Kent after her wedding. Marina was a granddaughter of King George I of Greece and Queen Olga, and her parents were Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia.

Her early life began in Athens, Greece, where she was born during the reign of her paternal grandfather. She was the third and youngest daughter of Prince Nicholas and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna. Her paternal lineage included George I of Greece and Queen Olga of Greece, while her maternal ancestry traced to Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia. Marina had two elder sisters, Princess Olga and Princess Elizabeth. Princess Olga married Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, and Princess Elizabeth married Count Carl Theodor of Toeering-Jettenbach. One of her paternal uncles was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, father of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, making Marina and her sisters first cousins to Prince Philip.

In her childhood, Marina resided at Tatoi Palace in Greece with her family. Queen Olga of Greece emphasized devout and religious upbringing. The family traveled extensively, with her first recorded visit to Britain occurring in 1910 when she was three years old. During that visit, she met Queen Mary, who became a family supporter and protector. The Greek royal family went into exile when Marina was eleven, following the overthrow of the Greek monarchy, and they moved to Paris while Marina stayed with extended family in Europe.

In 1932, Marina met Prince George of Wales, who later became the Duke of Kent. Their betrothal was announced in August 1934, and George was created Duke of Kent on 9 October 1934. They were married at Westminster Abbey on 29 November 1934 in a ceremony broadcast by wireless technology and accompanied by a Greek Orthodox service at Buckingham Palace. This wedding marked a significant event, as it was the most recent royal marriage prior to that time and the first to be broadcast internationally.

The couple established their residence at 3 Belgrave Square, near Buckingham Palace. Marina assumed active roles in charity work and became a patroness of organizations such as the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, the Women's Hospital Fund, and the Central School of Speech and Drama. She was also very close to her mother-in-law, Queen Mary.

Marina and Prince George had three children:

- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, born 9 October 1935, married Katharine Worsley, with whom he had three children.

- Princess Alexandra, born 25 December 1936, married Hon. Angus Ogilvy, with whom she has two children.

- Prince Michael of Kent, born 4 July 1942, married Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz, with whom he has two children.

Prince George was killed in a plane crash on 25 August 1942 while on active military service with the Royal Air Force. During World War II, Marina trained as a nurse and joined the civil nurse reserve, using the pseudonym "Sister Kay."

Following her husband's death, Marina remained active in royal duties and public engagements. She served as president of the Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for 26 years and of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution from 1943 until her death, receiving the RNLI gold medal in 1967. She undertook international visits, including trips to Greece, Italy, Australia, and parts of Africa where she represented the British monarchy at various independence and constitutional ceremonies.

In 1954, Marina was granted an apartment at Kensington Palace, which she occupied until her death. She served as Chancellor of the University of Kent from 1963 until her death in 1968.

Princess Marina died of a brain tumor at Kensington Palace on 27 August 1968, aged 61. Her funeral was held at St. George's Chapel, and she was interred at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore. Her estate was valued at approximately £76,166 at the time of her death. Her legacy includes several facilities named in her honor, such as hospitals and educational institutions in the UK and internationally.

Her cultural references include a song titled "She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina" recorded by The Kinks. In 2017, the television series "The Crown" portrayed her in its second season.

Her titles included Princess Marina of Greece (before marriage), Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent, and Her Royal Highness The Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. She received numerous honors from Commonwealth countries, foreign states, and dynastic orders, and held honorary military appointments in Canada and the United Kingdom.