King Charles is set to host a birthday reception later this month for a special member of the royal family: Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent.
The duke turned 90 years old on Thursday, Oct. 9, and the royal family’s social media account shared a message announcing the plans to celebrate the cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth.
“Wishing The Duke of Kent a very happy birthday – 90 today!” the royal family’s post shared, alongside a new royal portrait featuring the King sharing a moment with his royal relative on his 2023 coronation day.
“Later this month,” the post continued, “The King will host a birthday reception for The Duke, who was Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin, at Windsor Castle.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Kensington account also shared their well-wishes for the Duke on his milestone birthday.
“Wishing a Happy 90th Birthday to The Duke of Kent!” they wrote, reporting the official royal family post as well.
The Duke of Kent is the son of Prince George, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary and the younger brother of King George VI (Queen Elizabeth’s father). His mother, Princess Marina, was royalty in her own right — before her marriage, she was Princess of Greece and Denmark. Princess Marina’s mother was Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, a granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia.
Prince Edward became the Duke of Kent at age 7, inheriting the title after his father died in an airplane crash in 1942, during World War II.
In 2021, he was the Queen’s sole companion on the royal balcony during a scaled-down Trooping the Colour celebration during COVID restrictions. Queen Elizabeth’s cousin made sure to be by her side for her first Trooping the Colour without her beloved husband, Prince Philip, who died the year prior at the age of 99.Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, during the scaled-back Trooping the Colour festivities in June 2022.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
The Duke’s birthday this year is a bittersweet one, as it comes just a few weeks after the death of his wife, Katharine, the Duchess of Kent.
The Duchess died on Sept. 4 at her Kensington Palace home at the age of 92, and her historic funeral — the first Catholic funeral for a member of the British royal family in modern history — was attended by King Charles, Kate, William and many other members of the royal family.
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The Duke and Duchess met when he was stationed at Catterick Garrison during his service in the British Army. Despite controversy over her “commoner” status, they married on June 8, 1961.
The couple have three living children: George, Earl of St Andrews, 63, Lady Helen Taylor, 61, and Lord Nicholas Windsor, 55. They were also parents to a stillborn son, Patrick, who was born in 1977.
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