Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, has carried out his first engagement since the tragic death of his wife, the Duchess of Kent, last month. The Duke attended a concert at Wigmore Hall, one of his patronages, in a low-profile outing that follows a month in mourning.
The iconic London venue, which has been showcasing chamber music and choral recitals for 124 years, played host to a concert on 7 October, with the Duke of Kent no doubt listed among the guests of honour. Prince Edward has served as patron for over a decade, often taking to the stage to award some of the world’s leading musicians with the Wigmore Hall Medal, from Sir András Schiff to Mitsuko Uchida. Last May, to celebrate ten years of patronage by the Duke of Kent, a group of representatives from the Hall were invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
One of only 11 working royals, the Duke, who celebrates his 90th birthday on Thursday, is involved with 140 different organisations. His Royal Highness still completes a number of engagements each year, representing the royal family with all the dignity of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II. In 2025 alone, the Duke has attended 54 events on behalf of the crown. Alongside his patronage of Wigmore Hall, he has also been the Royal Patron of the Dresden Trust since 1993, and earlier this year represented King Charles III in Germany to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Bombing of Dresden.
The engagement on Tuesday was especially emotional, marking the Duke of Kent’s first official public duties since the Duchess of Kent passed away on 4 September. On 15 September, her coffin was taken by hearse from Kensington Palace to Westminster Cathedral, where the Rite of Reception and Vespers took place, on the eve of the Requiem Mass. In a sign of the respect the Duchess of Kent earned from the Royal Family, her coffin was transported in the Royal Hearse, designed by Queen Elizabeth II, and draped in the Royal Standard.
The service was attended by the Duchess’s immediate family, with Prince Edward supported by his daughter Lady Helen Taylor as he walked into the church. Eldest son George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews was joined by his wife Sylvana Palma Tomaselli and their three children, Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick, Lady Marina Windsor and Lady Amelia Windsor. Lady Helen Taylor’s husband, Timothy Taylor, arrived alongside their four children – Columbus, Cassius, Eloise and Estella. The Kents’ youngest son, Lord Nicholas Windsor, his wife Paola and three sons – Albert, Leopold and Louis – were also in attendance.
Despite his dedication to his royal role, the Duke of Kent has been withdrawing from a number of his official positions over the past few years, handing over the Presidency of the All England Tennis Club to the Princess of Wales, and attending a ceremony this April to commemorate the Duke of Edinburgh taking over his role as the Colonel of the Scots Guards after 50 years of service.
Earlier this year, the Duke’s daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, revealed that he is ‘slowing down’ as his health begins to fail. ‘I don’t want him to. I mean, he sort of is naturally, because his body won’t let him go at the speed that he would like to,’ she told True Royalty TV, ‘but I don’t want him to retire because what will he do?’ Lady Helen then added that the Duke of Kent likes to be constantly busy and is always seeking new sources of inspiration. His dedication to the Scouts has been a constant for the Duke throughout the past 50 years, however. He serves as the Joint President of the organisation alongside Catherine, the Princess of Wales, and earlier this year followed in Kate’s footsteps by meeting with Chief Scout Dwayne Fields to congratulate some highly accomplished scouts.
