Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick; born 9 October 1935) is a member of the

British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

. The elder son of

Prince George, Duke of Kent Prince George, Duke of Kent (George Edward Alexander Edmund; 20 December 1902 – 25 August 1942) was a member of the British royal family, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary. He was a younger brother of kings Edward VIII and George ...

, and

Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (born Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, ; 27 August 1968) was a Greek royal family, Greek and Danish princess by birth and a British princess by marriage. She was a daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and ...

, he is a grandson of

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

, nephew of

Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India, from 20 January ...

and

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

, and first cousin of

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

. Edward's mother was also a first cousin of

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 19219 April 2021), was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from h ...

, consort of Elizabeth II, making him both a second cousin and first cousin once removed to

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

. He is 42nd in the line of

succession to the British throne Succession to the British throne is determined by descent, sex, legitimacy, and religion. Under common law, the Crown is inherited by a sovereign's children or by a childless sovereign's nearest Collateral descendant, collateral line. The Bil ...

. Prince Edward has held the title of

Duke of Kent Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of King George V. Since 1942, the title has been held by Prince Edwa ...

for over years, making him the longest-serving duke in British history. He inherited the title at the age of six in 1942, following his father's death in a plane crash. Edward carried out engagements on behalf of Elizabeth II and is involved with over 140 charitable organisations. He was president of the

All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), also known as the All England Club, based at Church Road, Wimbledon, London, England, is a Gentlemen's club, private members' club. It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championsh ...

, presenting the trophies to the Wimbledon champion and runner-up, and served as the United Kingdom's

Special Representative for International Trade and Investment Special or specials may refer to: Policing * Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force * Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer * Special police forces ...

, retiring in 2001. He is joint president of

The Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest organisation in the Scout Movement in the Scouting in the United Kingdom, United Kingdom. Following the rapid development of the Scouting, Scout Movement from 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 ...

, and president of the

Royal United Services Institute The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI, Rusi) is a defence and security think tank with its headquarters in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1831 by the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley ...

and the

Royal Institution of Great Britain The Royal Institution of Great Britain (often the Royal Institution, Ri or RI) is an organisation for scientific education and research, based in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1799 by the leading British scientists of the age, inc ...

, and since 1967 Grand Master of the

United Grand Lodge of England The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of freemasons in England, Wales, and the Commonwealth of Nations. Claiming descent from the Masonic Grand Lodge formed 24 June 1717 at the Goose & Gridiron ...

. The Duke of Kent has been Chancellor of the

University of Surrey The University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford, Surrey, England. The university received its Royal Charter, royal charter in 1966, along with a Plate glass university, number of other institutions following recommendations ...

since June 1976. Much of his charity work revolves around war remembrance, technology, and the growth of British industry.

Early life and education

Prince Edward was born on 9 October 1935, at No. 3

Belgrave Square Belgrave Square is a large 19th-century garden square in London. It is the centrepiece of Belgravia, and its architecture resembles the original scheme of property contractor Thomas Cubitt who engaged George Basevi for all of the terraces for ...

, London, to Prince George and

, the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...

Sir John Simon John Allsebrook Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, (28 February 1873 – 11 January 1954) was a British politician who held senior Cabinet posts from the beginning of the First World War to the end of the Second World War. He is one of three people to ...

was present to verify the birth. His father was the fourth son of

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

and Queen Mary. His mother was the daughter of

Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark (, romanized: ''Nikólaos''; 22 January 1872 – 8 February 1938), of the Glücksburg branch of the House of Oldenburg, was the fourth child and third son of King George I of Greece, and of Queen Olga. H ...

and

Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia (29 January 1882 – 13 March 1957), was the only daughter and youngest child of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Her husband was Prince Nicholas ...

. He was baptised in the Private Chapel of

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

on 20 November 1935 by

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

Cosmo Lang. His godparents were his grandparents, King George V, Queen Mary and Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark; as well as the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

; the

Princess Royal Princess Royal is a substantive title, title customarily (but not automatically) awarded by British monarchs to their eldest daughters. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal famil ...

, the

Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that was granted on 24 May 1874 by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to her third son, Prince Arthur. At the same time, he was al ...

(whose son, Prince Arthur of Connaught, stood proxy); and the

Duchess of Argyll The Duchess of Argyll is typically the wife of the Duke of Argyll, an extant title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom created in 1892. The Duke is also Duke of Argyll in the Peerage of Scotland, which was originally created in the 1701. The fa ...

. Prince Edward began his education at Ludgrove, a preparatory school in Berkshire, before going on to

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and then Le Rosey in Switzerland. After school he entered the

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academy, military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial Commissioned officer, officer train ...

, where he won the Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for foreign languages. Edward speaks fluent French, having been raised in a house where, according to the words of his younger brother,

Prince Michael of Kent Prince Michael of Kent (Michael George Charles Franklin; born 4 July 1942) is a member of the British royal family who is 53rd in line to the British throne as of 2025. The younger son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Gr ...

, his mother and aunts spoke French as a matter of preference. On 25 August 1942, Prince Edward's father, the Duke of Kent, was killed when his plane crashed in bad weather in

Caithness Caithness (; ; ) is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Scotland. There are two towns, being Wick, Caithness, Wick, which was the county town, and Thurso. The count ...

. Prince Edward, at six years old, succeeded his father as

Earl of St Andrews Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of peerage of Great Britain, Great Britain and the peerage of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom, most recently as a Royal dukedoms in the United Kingdom, royal dukedom ...

and Baron Downpatrick. As a member of the royal family, Prince Edward began performing engagements at an early age. In 1952, at the age of 16, he walked behind the coffin of his uncle,

, at his

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...

. In 1953, he attended the coronation of his cousin,

, and was the third to pay homage at her throne, following the dukes of

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

and

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...

Military service

On 29 July 1955, the Duke of Kent graduated from the

as a second lieutenant in the

Royal Scots Greys The Royal Scots Greys was a cavalry regiment of the Army of Scotland that became a regiment of the British Army in 1707 upon the Union of Scotland and England, continuing until 1971 when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of ...

, the beginning of a military career which lasted over 20 years. He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

on 29 July 1961. From 1962 to 1963, the Duke of Kent served in Hong Kong, later serving on the staff in Eastern Command. He was promoted to major on 31 December 1967. In 1970, the Duke commanded a squadron of his regiment in Cyprus as part of the

United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

. During the early 1970s, the Duke also served briefly in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

with his regiment. It was revealed in a 2022 book, that the Queen intervened in 1971 to prevent the kidnapping of her cousin, the Duke of Kent. The then 35-year-old Duke, an Army officer with the

, was sent to Northern Ireland with his unit but the Queen alerted

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 ...

, the prime minister, during her private audience, and he relayed a warning to his ministers. Commanding officers were told the Duke was not to be sent to Belfast without special orders. A few weeks later, he was posted back to Britain. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 30 June 1973. The Duke retired from the army on 15 April 1976. He was subsequently accorded the honorary rank of major-general on 11 June 1983, and of

field marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

on 11 June 1993.

Marriage and personal life

York Minster York Minster, formally the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. The minster is the seat of the archbishop of York, the second-highest of ...

on 8 June 1961 the Duke of Kent married Katharine Worsley, the only daughter of Sir William Worsley, 4th Baronet, by his wife Joyce Morgan Brunner. She converted to

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

in 1994, but because the conversion occurred after their marriage, it did not cause the Duke to lose his place in the line of succession, as the

Act of Settlement 1701 The Act of Settlement ( 12 & 13 Will. 3. c. 2) is an act of the Parliament of England that settled the succession to the English and Irish crowns to only Protestants, which passed in 1701. More specifically, anyone who became a Roman Catho ...

only applied where the spouse was a Catholic at the time of marriage. The disqualification by marrying a Catholic was removed by the

Succession to the Crown Act 2013 The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 (c. 20) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the laws of succession to the British throne in accordance with the 2011 Perth Agreement. The Act replaced male-preference primogenitur ...

. The couple have three living children: * George, Earl of St Andrews, born 26 June 1962 at Coppins; married Sylvana Tomaselli *

Lady Helen Taylor Lady Helen Marina Lucy Taylor (''née'' Windsor; born 28 April 1964) is a member of the British royal family. She is the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Katharine, Duchess of Kent, and a great-granddaughter of George V. She is curre ...

, born 28 April 1964 at Coppins; married Timothy Taylor * Lord Nicholas Windsor, born 25 July 1970 at King's College Hospital in London; married, 2006, Paola Doimi de Lupis de Frankopan Katharine had a

miscarriage Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is an end to pregnancy resulting in the loss and expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the womb before it can fetal viability, survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks ...

in 1975 owing to

rubella Rubella, also known as German measles or three-day measles, is an infection caused by the rubella virus. This disease is often mild, with half of people not realizing that they are infected. A rash may start around two weeks after exposure and ...

and gave birth to a stillborn son, Patrick, in 1977. The Duke and Duchess of Kent reside at Wren House,

Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence situated within Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has served as a residence for the British royal family since the 17th century and is currently the ...

, in London. In 2011, close associates of

Jonathan Rees Jonathan Rees is a British private investigator, and former partner of murdered private investigator Daniel Morgan. Early life and career Born in September 1954 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, Rees left school and joined the Merchant Navy, then became ...

, a private investigator connected to the ''News International'' phone hacking scandal, stated that he had penetrated Edward and Katharine's bank accounts. The Duke had a mild stroke on the morning of 18 March 2013. In April 2015, he suffered from a hip injury and was hospitalised at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for further treatments.

Activities

The Duke of Kent performed engagements on behalf of his cousin,

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

, for over 50 years. The Duke represented the Queen during independence celebrations in the

Commonwealth countries The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire from which i ...

of Sierra Leone, Uganda, Guyana, Gambia, and Barbados, and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the independence of Ghana. He also acted as Counsellor of State during periods of the Queen's absence abroad. One of the Duke's major public roles for many years was vice-chairman of British Trade International, formerly known as the British Overseas Trade Board, and later as the United Kingdom's

. This position saw the Duke travel abroad to represent the British government in fostering trade relations with foreign countries and organisations.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and a younger bro ...

succeeded him in this position, which is today known as UK Trade & Investment (or UKTI), although Prince Andrew resigned from the post in 2011. He was also the vice-chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board. In that capacity, he became the first member of the royal family to visit China in 1979 with his focus being on the British Energy Exhibition in Beijing. From 1971 to 2000, the Duke of Kent was president of English football's governing body,

The Football Association The Football Association (the FA) is the Sports governing body, governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Formed in 1863, it is the oldest footb ...

. The Duke has served as the president of

since 1975. Along with

Prince William of Wales William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. William was born during the reign of his p ...

, the Duke visited the Centenary World Scout Jamboree at

Hylands Park Hylands House is a Grade II* neo-classical villa situated within Hylands Park a 232-hectare (574 acre) park southwest of Chelmsford in Essex in South East England. It is owned and operated by Chelmsford City Council. History The last priva ...

, Chelmsford in July 2007. He also served as the president of the

between 1969 and 2021, a position in which he succeeded his late mother, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. He was also president of the

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mil ...

from 1970 until 2023. His other roles include president of the RAF Benevolent Fund, the

Royal National Lifeboat Institution The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat (rescue), lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on s ...

, the Stroke Association, the

, the

Royal Institution The Royal Institution of Great Britain (often the Royal Institution, Ri or RI) is an organisation for scientific education and research, based in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1799 by the leading British scientists of the age, inc ...

, the British Racing Drivers' Club, and patron of the American Air Museum in Britain, Royal West Norfolk Golf Club,

Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Kent. A club representing the county was first founded in 1842 but Ken ...

, Opera North, and

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music, dance, and musical theatre conservatoire based in South East London. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. Trini ...

. He is also on the advisory panel for the

Mountbatten Medal The IET Mountbatten Medal is awarded annually for an outstanding contribution, or contributions over a period, to the promotion of electronics or information technology and their application. The Medal was established by the National Electronics C ...

and presents the medal once the decision has been made. The Duke of Kent is one of the Royal Fellows of the

Royal Academy of Engineering The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) is the United Kingdom's national academy of engineering. The Academy was founded in June 1976 as the Fellowship of Engineering with support from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who became the first senio ...

. For almost 29 years, the Duke has been the patron of Endeavour, a national youth organisation. He has also served as Royal Patron of The Honourable Society of

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

since 2001, a position previously occupied by his father. In 2015, the Duke received the Dresden Peace Prize for "his contribution to British-German reconciliation." On 2 June 2022, the Duke appeared alongside the Queen on the balcony of

during the 2022 Trooping the Colour as part of the

Platinum Jubilee A platinum jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary. Among Monarchy, monarchies, it usually refers to a 70th anniversary. The most recent monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the ...

celebrations. Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Kent became the oldest living descendant of

, and the last surviving descendant born in George V's lifetime. The Duke was colonel of the

Scots Guards The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot guards#United Kingdom, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642 in the Ki ...

for fifty years from 9 September 1974 to 14 April 2024, being succeeded by the

Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh, named after the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh, is a substantive title that has been created four times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not pr ...

. At the time of his retirement, he was the regiment's longest serving colonel.

Freemasonry

The Duke was initiated into Royal Alpha Lodge No. 16 on 16 December 1963, and was elected its Worshipful Master for 1965 and 1966. Having been appointed Senior Grand Warden in 1966, he was elected as Grand Master the following year, and was installed on 14 June 1967 during

's 250th anniversary celebrations at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

. He is the 10th, and longest-serving Grand Master of UGLE, the governing body of

Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

in England and Wales. In December 2013, the Duke celebrated 50 years as a freemason. In October 2017 he presided over the tercentenary celebrations of UGLE, marking the 300th anniversary of the founding of the original Grand Lodge, one of two which merged to form UGLE in 1813. The main ceremony was held in the Royal Albert Hall, in the year which also marked the Duke's 50th anniversary of installation as Grand Master.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

* 9 October 1935 – 25 August 1942: ''His Royal Highness'' Prince Edward of Kent * 25 August 1942 – present: ''His Royal Highness'' The Duke of Kent

Military ranks

* 29 July 1955: Second Lieutenant,

* 29 July 1957:

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

, Royal Scots Greys * 29 July 1961:

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

, Royal Scots Greys * 31 December 1967:

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

, Royal Scots Greys * 30 June 1973: Lieutenant Colonel,

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) is a light Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. The regiment, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest survivi ...

. Retired on 15 April 1976 * 11 June 1983: Major General * 11 June 1993:

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

Honours

UK King George VI Coronation Medal ribbon

12 May 1937: Recipient of the King George VI Coronation Medal * UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon

2 June 1953: Recipient of the

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal () is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir from the Queen to members of the Royal Family ...

1960: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) *

1961: Recipient of the Sierra Leone Independence Medal * GUY Independence Medal ribbon

1966: Recipient of the

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

Independence Medal * UK Order St-Michael St-George ribbon

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) ** 1967: Grand Master and First and Principal Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George * UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon

UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon

6 February 1977: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal * Order of the Garter UK ribbon

1985: Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter (KG) * UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon

6 February 2002: Recipient of the

Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal () or the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal was ...

6 February 2012: Recipient of the

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal () or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. There are four versions of the medal: one iss ...

* Recipient of the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with 3 Bars * CD-ribbon and 3 bars

Recipient of the

Canadian Forces' Decoration The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to t ...

with 3 Clasps (CD) * UK Queen EII Platinum Jubilee Medal ribbon

6 February 2022: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal * Coronation of Charles III Medal ribbon

6 May 2023: Recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal

Foreign

1970: Recipient of the United Nations Medal for the UNFICYP mission * Golden Pheasant Award ribbon

1992: Recipient of the Golden Pheasant Award of the Scout Association of Japan * Order of Charles XIII Ribbon bar

6 November 2000: Knight of the Order of Charles XIII * GRE Order of Saints George and Constantine ribbon

: Order of Saints George and Constantine First class (civil division) * JOR Order of the Renaissance GC

: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (special class) * Order of the Star of Jordan - Grand Cordon

: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan * : Knight Grand Band of the Order of the Star of Africa * Order of Tri Shakti Patta

: Order of the Three Divine Powers First Class (Jyotirmaya-Subikhyat-Tri-Shakti-Patta) * St Olavs Orden storkors stripe

1988: Grand Cross of the Order of St Olav * POL Order Zaslugi RP kl1 BAR

: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland * DE-SAX Der Verdienstorden des Freistaates Sachsen BAR

21 May 2015: Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony

Civilian appointments

* 1 August 1966:

Personal Aide-de-Camp Personal may refer to: Aspects of persons' respective individualities * Privacy * Personality * Personal, personal advertisement, variety of classified advertisement used to find romance or friendship Companies * Personal, Inc., a Washington, ...

to the Sovereign (ADC) * June 1976: Chancellor of the

* 1990:

Royal Fellow of the Royal Society A Royal Fellow of the Royal Society is a member of the British royal family who has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. The council of the Royal Society recommends members of the Royal Family to be elected and then the existing Fellows vo ...

(FRS)

Wear of orders, decorations, and medals

The ribbons worn regularly by Edward in undress uniform are as follows: With medals, Edward normally wears the breast stars of the Garter, St Michael and St George, and Royal Victorian Order. When only one should be worn, he wears the Order of the Garter star. Foreign honours are worn in accordance with British customs and traditions when applicable.

Military appointments

; Canada * 11 June 1977: Colonel-in-Chief, of The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) ; United Kingdom * 22 October 1974 – 14 April 2024:

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

, of the

Colonel-in-Chief Colonel-in-Chief is a ceremonial position in an army regiment. It is in common use in several Commonwealth armies, where it is held by the regiment's patron, usually a member of the royal family. Some armed forces take a light-hearted approach to ...

, of the

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (often referred to as, "The Fusiliers") is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division. Currently, the regiment has two battalions: the 1st Battalion, part of the Regular Army, is an ...

* Royal Colonel, 1st Battalion, of

The Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions. Each Regular battalion was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the ...

* 25 January 1994: Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, of the

* 1993 – 31 March 2015: Honorary

Air Commodore Air commodore (Air Cdre or Air Cmde) is an air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...

, of the RAF Leuchars * 15 June 1985 – 30 June 1996: Honorary Air Vice Marshal RAF * 1 July 1996: Honorary Air Chief Marshal RAF

Arms

Issue

Ancestry

Bibliography

Books

Authored articles and letters

Notes

References

External links

*
The Duke of Kent
at the Royal Family website *
The United Grand Lodge of England – HRH The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC (Grand Master)
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kent, Prince Edward, Duke Of 1935 births Living people Alumni of Institut Le Rosey British field marshals British Freemasons British people of Greek descent British princes British royal memoirists Dukes of Kent Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland Grand masters of the United Grand Lodge of England

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Knights of the Garter Knights of the Order of Charles XIII Edward, Duke of Kent Members of the Order of Tri Shakti Patta, First Class Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony Recipients of Supreme Order of the Renaissance (Jordan) Recipients of the Order of The Star of Jordan People associated with the University of Surrey People educated at Eton College People educated at Ludgrove School People from Westminster Presidents of the British Computer Society Presidents of the British Science Association Presidents of the Football Association Presidents of the Royal Television Society Royal Air Force air marshals Royal Scots Greys officers Royal Scots Dragoon Guards officers Tennis executives