Royal Jewels to Remember the Late Duchess of Kent

On Tuesday afternoon, the British royal family gathered to celebrate the life of the Duchess of Kent, wearing respectful and sentimental mourning jewels set with diamonds and pearls.

Westminster Cathedral in London was filled with mourners on Tuesday during the requiem mass for the late Duchess of Kent. Katharine died at the age of 92 at Wren House, her home on the grounds of Kensington Palace, on September 4.

We remembered the fascinating bejeweled life of the late Duchess in a pair of recent articles. Our survey of her tiaras and jewels can be found here at The Court Jeweller, while an account of her fairytale royal wedding day is available at Hidden Gems, in an edition that is free for all to read.

King Charles III was one of the mourners honoring the late Duchess at the funeral. The Duke of Kent is his first cousin once removed. The Duchess converted to Catholicism in 1994, and her funeral, interestingly, marks the first time that a British monarch has attended a Catholic mass in Britain since the Reformation. Pope Leo XIV sent a message of condolences to the King ahead of the service.

Queen Camilla was unable to attend today’s funeral, with Buckingham Palace noting that she is “recovering from acute sinusitis” at Windsor ahead of tomorrow’s American state visit. But numerous other members of the royal family were in attendance, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The mourners were led at the funeral by the 89-year-old Duke of Kent, who is now the oldest living member of the royal family. He walked into the cathedral with his daughter, Lady Helen Taylor. Behind them were his elder son and daughter-in-law, the Earl and Countess of St. Andrews, who were accompanied by their children, Lord Downpatrick, Lady Marina Windsor, and Lady Amelia Windsor. The Duke and Duchess’s younger son, Lord Nicholas Windsor, arrived with his sons, Albert, Leopold, and Louis. Lady Helen’s husband, Timothy Taylor, and their children, Columbus, Cassius, Eloise, and Estella, were also part of the family procession.

Many more members of the extended Windsor family were also present. The Duke’s siblings, Princess Alexandra (not pictured here) and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, were in attendance. Alexandra’s family was also represented by her son and daughter-in-law, James and Julia Ogilvy, with their children, Alexander Ogilvy and Flora and Timothy Vesterberg; and her daughter, Marina Mowatt, with her children Zenouska and Christian. Prince Michael’s son and daughter-in-law, Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor, were also there, as was his daughter, Lady Gabriella Kingston.

Princess Margaret’s children, Lord Snowdon and Lady Sarah and Daniel Chatto, were there as well, as was Sarah’s elder son, Samuel. More Gloucester family members were present, too: the Earl and Countess of Ulster and Lady Rose and George Gilman.

I’ll highlight a few interesting pieces of jewelry worn by the ladies of the family for the requiem mass. Lady Helen Taylor arrived wearing pearls with a special diamond flower brooch. The pearl necklace and brooch were both part of the late Duchess’s jewelry collection.

It also seems that Helen may have worn her mother’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring on her right hand.

The Princess of Wales wore pieces of jewelry that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II: the Silver Jubilee Pearl Drop Earrings and the Japanese Pearl Choker Necklace.

The Princess Royal wore a favorite pair of Andrew Grima earrings set with pearls, gold, and diamonds, paired with a gold cross brooch from her personal collection.

The Duchess of Edinburgh wore her modern diamond rose brooch for the occasion.

The Duchess of Gloucester wore several pieces of familiar jewelry: her diamond and pearl drop earrings and pearl necklace, as well as two of her diamond and rock crystal circle brooches. She pinned her diamond and black enamel heart brooch to her hat.

Princess Michael of Kent wore pearl drop earrings with a four-row pearl necklace and rings on both hands.

Lady Sarah Chatto arrived for the service wearing the classic diamond starburst earrings that belonged to her late mother, Princess Margaret.

Lady Rose Gilman, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, pinned a pair of diamond clip brooches to her jacket.

Lady Gabriella Kingston, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, wore pearl earrings with a gold twist setting.

Lady Gabriella’s sister-in-law, Lady Frederick Windsor—also known as the actress Sophie Winkleman—wore pearl cluster and drop earrings for the service.

The ladies of Princess Alexandra’s family also wore some lovely jewelry pieces. Flora Vesterberg and Zenouska Mowatt wore earrings set with diamonds and pearls, while Julia Ogilvy wore pearl button earrings and a three-row pearl necklace with a gem-set clasp.

I’ll also highlight two other bejeweled mourners at the funeral. Countess Mountbatten, granddaughter-in-law of Lord Mountbatten, wore a strand of pearls with diamond and pearl drop earrings for the funeral.

And Lady Susan Hussey, formerly a lady-in-waiting to the late Queen Elizabeth II, wore pearls with a Georgian-era diamond and enamel brooch and a silver cloak clasp.