The Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke of Kent shared a sweet embrace on Thursday as they undertook a rare joint engagement at the University of Surrey. Sophie, 61, who is married to King Charles’s brother, Prince Edward, joined the Duke to meet students at the Surrey Space Centre in Guildford.
Wearing a forest green blazer and pink shirt, Sophie fitted a commemorative panel to a satellite, watched a demonstration of space technology and space simulation models and even trialled a virtual reality headset.
On arrival, Sophie and the Duke shared a kiss on the cheek to show their close bond as they greeted one another, before having a cup of tea together and catching up.
The Duke, 90, is the cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth and now only occasionally attends public engagements. His appearance on Thursday indicates how important the university is to him, having served as its chancellor for the past 50 years since 1976. The royals enjoy a close relationship with the university, with Queen Elizabeth previously visiting the campus in 1992, 1998, and 2015.
Professor Jarvis, the university’s president, told the BBC: “For our students, whether still studying or already well into their careers, having two members of the Royal Family witness this work first-hand is an experience they will long remember.”
Who is the Duke of Kent?
The Duke of Kent, also known as Prince Edward, served in the Armed Forces in the UK and overseas in places such as Hong Kong, Cyprus and Northern Ireland, for 21 years. He retired from the army in 1976 and was given the honorary rank of major-general in 1983 and field marshal in 1993.
Since then, he has consistently supported the Armed Forces and holds a number of military affiliations, including President of the RAF Benevolent Fund and President of the Board of Trustees for the Imperial War Museum. While the Duke has significantly reduced his public appearances in recent years, he still carries out engagements with his patronages and charities.
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe Duke sadly lost his wife of 64 years, the Duchess of Kent, last year. Katharine Worsley, who gave up her HRH title in 2002 and retreated from public life in her latter years, died aged 92 on 4 September. A Catholic funeral took place at Westminster Cathedral.
A rare royal engagement
The Duke of Kent rarely attends royal engagements these days – but has unexpectedly taken on two this week. On Tuesday, he visited the Imperial War Museum in London on Holocaust Memorial Day. During the outing, the Duke, who was pictured using a wheelchair publicly for the first time, watched a performance by the English Chamber Orchestra. He has previously been seen using a walking stick.
The Duke is said to be “taking solace” in music following his wife’s death and, earlier this month, attended a concert in London’s Wigmore Hall to hear a performance by pianist Dame Imogen Cooper.
The Duke and Duchess were known to share a lifelong love of music – something that brought them together throughout their marriage. Katharine herself famously withdrew from royal duties in order to become a music teacher in Hull, telling pupils to call her “Ms Kent”. The couple were married for 64 years and welcomed three children: George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor and Lord Nicholas Windsor.
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