Katharine, Duchess of Kent, is being remembered not only for her grace and quiet presence within the Royal Family, but also for her courage in breaking royal tradition by openly sharing the heartbreak of her stillborn son.
As per The Telegraph, in 1975, Katharine had a medical termination after contracting German measles (rubella) when pregnant.
In 1977, she gave birth to a stillborn son named Patrick at full term and later spent seven weeks at King Edward VII Hospital for "nervous strain."
She later opened up, 20 years after the loss, calling it a “devastating” experience that stayed with her.
"It had the most devastating effect on me," the Duchess of Kent told The Telegraph in 1997. "I had no idea how devastating such a thing could be to any woman. It has made me extremely understanding of others who suffer a stillbirth."
Katharine also revealed that her decision to return to royal work became a big mistake for her.
"I don’t think I gave myself time to get over it," she said, adding, "Probably I didn’t grieve properly."
By speaking about her hospitalization for “treatment and supervised rest,” Katharine broke with the royal family’s long-held silence on medical issues, highlighting its importance to her well-being.
Katharine broke royal protocol by openly discussing her hospitalization for “treatment and supervised rest,” emphasizing its importance for her well-being.
“I am not ashamed of that period,” she said, adding that she still had “up and down days” and remained sensitive to stillbirth and baby loss.
The Duchess of Kent became a working royale when she married Prince Edward in 1961.
In 1996, she stepped down from royal duties and quietly retired to teach music in a primary school where she was known as "Mrs. Kent", and she left her royal duties behind in 2002 to fully pursue her personal work.
On September 5, the Duchess of Kent passed away "peacefully" at Kensington Palace.