A Glittering Wedding for the Duke and Duchess of Kent

The Duke and Duchess of Kent in Australia, 1985. Image from Queensland State Archives.

A year after the high-profile wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong Jones, another wedding was celebrated by the British Royal Family. This time, it was the queen's first-cousin,  Prince Edward, Duke of Kent,  and his fiancée, Katharine Worsley,  who tied the knot on June 29, 1961.

Prince Edward was the eldest child of Prince George, Duke of Kent, King George V’s fourth son. His mother, the Dowager Duchess of Kent, was born Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. The bride, meanwhile, was the only daughter and fourth child of landowner Sir William Worsley of Hovingham, 4th Baronet, and Lady Augusta Mary.

The Duke of Kent first met his future bride at a county ball while being stationed at Catterick in North Yorkshire in 1957. Their friendship blossomed but his mother became anxious of her son’s playboy image so she asked him if he could wait awhile before proposing. For Katharine's part, she was hesitant to marry the duke because she was not sure if she was ready to embrace the life of royalty. The duke finally took matters into his own hands and thought of the situation deeply. While spending Christmas with the Royal Family at Sandringham, he sought Queen Elizabeth II and asked permission to leave the party on Boxing Day to see Katharine who was with her family at Hovingham Hall. The prince eventually asked the hands of her princess for marriage. He gave her an engagement ring made of an oval sapphire with round diamonds on both sides.

The wedding was a break from royal traditions. Instead of St. George’s Chapel or Westminster Abbey, the couple chose to solemnize their marriage “within the mellowed walls of York Minster.” The event, a correspondent for The Telegraph wrote, “brought back pageantry and splendour to an ancient city which has not known as Royal wedding for over 600 years.” It was the first royal wedding held in this cathedral since 1328, when King Edward III married Philippa of Hainault were married.

York Minster. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Another break from tradition was when the bride was heard promising to “obey” her royal husband. According to Dr. Eric Milner White, the Dean of York, the bridal couple had asked that the word be introduced into the phrase, although it did not appear in the service program.

“It is impossible to print bits from the two versions together,” Dr. Milner explained.

The bride wore a John Cavanagh wedding dress upon the suggestion of Princess Marina. It was made of 237 yards of French-made diaphanous white silk gauze and showed off a tight bodice, stiff neckline, and a full skirt with a 15-foot double train. The white tulle veil was anchored on the diamond bandeau tiara, which was given by Queen Mary to her daughter-in-law. The duke, meanwhile, wore his uniform  in the Royal Scots Greys with the riband of the Royal Victorian Order.

The bridegroom was supported by his brother, Prince Michael, while the bride was attended by eight bridesmaids, led by Princess Anne, and three pageboys.

About 2,000 guests were invited to York Minster. A host of royalty attended the wedding, which was as “an occasion graced by a glittering and distinguished assembly.” Three queens were there: Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain.

“On this day, however, the three Queens were prepared to remain as inconspicuously in the background as possible, leaving the limelight to the young bride and her groom,” reported The Telegraph.

Hovingham Hall. Image from Wikimedia Commons

Other royals in attendance were the groom’s mother, the Duchess of Kent, Princess Alexandra of Kent,  his sister, and Prince Michael of Kent , his younger brother

The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, Princess Margaret and Mr. Antony Armstrong-Jones, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince William of Gloucester, Mary Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, the Earl and Countess of Harewood, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, the Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the Lady and Lord Brabourne,  Lady Pamela and Mr. David Nightingale Hicks, and Lady Patricia Ramsey, were also in attendance.

A wedding breakfast was held at Hovingham Hall before the newlyweds proceeded to Birkhall for their honeymoon.