Remembering the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, 1961’s wedding of the year

The Duke and Duchess of Kent walk down the aisle after their wedding ceremony. 

On June 8, 1961, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth celebrated the wedding of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Miss Katharine Worsley. Here is the story published by The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Before romance with the Duke of Kent, Miss Katharine Worsley had never met a member of the royal family. She was a Yorkshire lass, happy with a rural life, riding, playing tennis, walking the dogs, playing the organ at church, teaching in Sunday school.

Her father, Sir William, a wealthy landowner and the local squire, was such a cricket enthusiast he had his own grounds, and it was this that brought Kate Worsley and the Duke of Kent together. When the Duke came from Catterick Army Camp, where his regiment, the Scots Greys, was stationed, to watch a match, he met Kate in the tea interval as she passed the cups.

He was then 21 and was immediately taken by the slender, blonde girl with large, blue-grey eyes and quiet manner. He invited her to a regimental dance and to the astonishment of his fellow officers began seeing much more of her.

Kate was different from most of the Duke's girlfriends. He had a reputation for enjoying fast, sporty cars and attending lively night clubs with a bevy of beauties.

Four years passed before the Duke of Kent and Katharine Worsley became engaged and were married on June 8, 1961.

The delay was not because the Queen was withholding her assent, but because the Duke's mother, then the Duchess of Kent, did not want her son to marry a commoner.

When the Duchess did meet Katharine Worsley she was relieved to find the girl had ability, as well as charm, and a sense of responsibility, so essential if marrying into the royal family. "I’m sure now she's right for Eddie," Marina pronounced.

Sir William and Lady Worsley were invited to the Duchess's apartments in Kensington Palace, a tray of rings was sent in from Collingwoods, the jewellers, from which a sapphire set in diamonds was chosen as the engagement ring and the betrothal was announced.

The wedding day was set almost immediately. In good Yorkshire fashion there was to be no hanging about.

The Duke of Kent was 25 years old and Katharine Worsley was 28. It was high summer in York, where they were married. The guests came by train and by car, some picnicked on the way, others enjoyed a good buffet lunch at the Station Hotel.

A few changing rooms were set aside none for visiting royalty and nobody envied the Queen and her family the comfort of the royal train. It was all so sparkling and happy in the City of York. The wedding took place in York Minster, a beautiful medieval cathedral which was the perfect setting for the  marriage of the Squire's daughter to the royal Duke.

It was an afternoon wedding and the sun, filtering through the stained-glass windows, caught the bride's fair hair as she walked down the long nave, lighting it so it shone like spun gold. We caught our breaths at the magic of it all.

Princess Marina, as she was now to be known, smiled her happiness and approval as Katharine stood at the altar beside her son. He was wearing the dress uniform of his regiment and drawn up outside was a guard of honour of the Scots Greys lending a most colourful splash of colour against the ancient grey stone.

The bride was wearing a dress of such pure classicism it might have been sculpted. It was designed by John Cavanagh, the couturier most favoured by Marina. And although Miss Worsley had her own ideas about dressing, this was one day they did not conflict with those of her future mother-in-law, whose taste, as everyone knew, was impeccable. The city celebrated with flowers.

Using red and gold as the royal theme, gardens were constructed, window boxes filled, baskets swung high and, at night, the City of York was illuminated, to touch the town with splendour.

Katharine, born a commoner, now a royal duchess, received a special extra present from the Queen: the Order of the  Royal Sovereign, which is a miniature of the Queen set in diamonds on a moire ribbon, given only to the women of the royal family by the reigning monarch.