Buckingham Palace paid a somber tribute to Katharine, Duchess of Kent, as her funeral ceremony began in London.
On Tuesday, September 16, the official Instagram account of Wimbledon shared an emotional video of the deceased royal member from the 1993 championship.
In the heartfelt footage, the kindest Duchess was noticeably pictured embracing the tearful Czech tennis player, Jana Novotná, on Centre Court after Novotná’s heartbreaking loss in the 1993 Wimbledon Ladies’ Final.
The Royal Family’s joint post stated the caption, “A moment of compassion remembered forever, The Duchess of Kent’s embrace of Jana Novotna in 1993 became one of Wimbledon’s most memorable moments.”
“On the day of her funeral, we honour Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Kent, as a steadfast supporter of The Championships, women’s sport, and an Honorary Member of the Club,” they penned.
This heartwarming homage comes a few moments before the official ceremony begins at Westminster Cathedral.
King Charles and other senior royals will be arriving later at the services; however, Queen Camilla has skipped the prestigious royal event due to her painful health recovery.
“It’s understood HM hopes to have recovered sufficiently to attend all elements of the State Visit and this week’s other engagements,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement via X.
It is important to note that the Duchess of Kent passed away at the age of 92 on September 5, 2025.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source jang.com.pk ’
