Who is Prince Edward? The Duke of Kent took up royal duties at age of 7 after his father died in a plane crash
Buckingham Palace has released a list of royal family members attending Prince Philip's funeral, and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 85, is one of the attendees.
The guest list has been scaled down from 800 people and kept to a bare minimum owing to the stringent coronavirus restrictions. It's now just 30 of the Queen's closest family members who will arrive at the St George's Chapel for the final goodbye.
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Who is Prince Edward, Duke of Kent?
He is the eldest son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and his wife Princess Marina of Greece. Unlike most, he had to wear several hats. At the age of seven, the duke had to take up royal duties following his father's tragic air crash.
Prince Edward is associated with 140 charitable organizations and carries out orders for the Queen. In her absence, he takes charge of several engagements and is the Counselor of State when the Queen is abroad.
The Duke's family life
The Duke married Katharine Worsley at York Minster on June 8, 1961. It was attended by Prince Philip and the Queen. The couple went on to have three children: George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, 58, Lady Helen Taylor, 56, and Lord Nicholas Windsor, 50. Katharine had conceived twice, once she had to abort the child due to German Measles, and the other time she gave birth to a stillborn son, Patrick. Following the tragedies, she opened up about the struggles in the hope that it would help those suffering from similar issues.
"It had the most devastating effect on me. 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," The Sun quoted an excerpt from her interview to The Daily Telegraph back in 1997.
The roles he has held
As we have mentioned earlier, he has held several roles over the years. From 1971 to 2000, the duke was the president of The Football Association, a position that was taken up by Prince William in 2006. He was just 18 when he enrolled at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and graduated as a Second Lieutenant in 1955.
It was 21 years later that he retired from the Army. However, that didn't strip him off of the prestigious roles he has held back in the day. He has served as the presidents of The Scout Association and All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for 46 and 51 years, respectively.
How is he related to the Queen?
Prince Edward is not just Queen Elizabeth's first cousin but also related to Prince Philip. The Queen is his cousin from their fathers' side. While Prince Philip's connection comes from his mother's side. Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark was the first cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Who's attending the funeral?
The duke aside, The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of Cambridge, The Duchess of Cambridge, The Duke of Sussex, The Duke of York, Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, The Earl of Wessex, The Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Windsor, Viscount Severn, The Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Peter Phillips, Zara Phillips, Mike Tindall, Earl of Snowdon, Lady Sarah Chatto, Daniel Chatto, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden, Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse, Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and The Countess Mountbatten of Burma will be attending Prince Philip's funeral.
A a glimpse into the duke's life:
