Probate records released today indicate that Katharine Worsley, the Duchess of Kent, left an estate valued at over £1.4 million. The majority of her fortune was designated for her children, reflecting her primary familial bequests.

The Duchess, who was married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, for 64 years, died at her home in Kensington Palace on September 4 of last year at the age of 92. Her will, drawn up on October 5, 2022, stipulated that her personal chattels, including jewelry and household contents, were to go to the Duke of Kent, with the instruction that he distribute items according to any notes she left. The income from her family trust, the Worsley Settlement, was also granted to the Duke for his lifetime, with the remaining capital to be divided among their children thereafter.

Beyond her immediate family, the Duchess also made provisions for charitable causes and her godchildren. A sum of £10,000 was left to Future Talent Musicians, a charity she co-founded in 2004 to support gifted young musicians from low-income backgrounds. Additionally, each of her nine godchildren received a legacy of £5,000.

Her will also outlined specific bequests for her grandchildren, with her interest in a property in Edwardes Square, Kensington, west London, left to her grandson Edward Edmund Maximilian George Windsor, the Baron Downpatrick. The residuary estate was to be held in trust for her three children after the payment of legal and funeral expenses.

The Duchess, born Katharine Worsley in 1933, was the youngest daughter of Sir William Worsley, a prominent Yorkshire landowner. She met Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, in 1956, and they married in 1961. She was the first untitled woman to marry into the Royal family in over a century. Known for her grace and empathy, she stepped down from public royal duties in 2002. She publicly converted to Catholicism in 1993, a significant event as the first senior royal to do so since the 1701 Act of Settlement. Her later years included anonymous work as a music teacher and volunteer activities.

The Duchess is survived by her husband and their three children: George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews; Lady Helen Taylor; and Lord Nicholas Windsor.