At the age of 89, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, is one of the longest-serving members of the royal family. Since retiring from the British Army in 1976, the son of Prince George and Princess Marina of Kent has dedicated his life to public service, including an enduring position as president of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
The oldest of the British senior working royals (His Royal Highness is two years younger than his wife, Katherine, the Duchess of Kent), Prince Edward once again showcased his work ethic as he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his presidency of the Scouts Foundation on Monday, but the news comes at a poignant time, as his daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, revealed that the Duke of Kent is ‘slowing down’ as his health begins to fail.
One of only 11 working royals, the Duke is involved with 140 different organisations, and in 2024, joined Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and Lady Louise Windsor for Trooping the Colour. When Lady Helen Taylor was asked whether her father might soon consider retiring, however, the 61-year-old cautioned that he may soon look to wind down his royal engagements.
‘I don’t want him to. I mean, he sort of is naturally, because his body won’t let him go at the speed that he would like to,’ she told True Royalty TV, ‘but I don’t want him to retire because what will he do?’