London, 14 November 2025 – At 14:17 GMT, in a moment that will be etched into royal history as one of the bleakest on record, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, appeared alone in the White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace to deliver an announcement no one inside the family believed they would have to make so soon.
Her face ashen, eyes hollow with exhaustion and grief, the normally unflappable Princess Royal gripped the lectern with white-knuckled hands. Behind her, the portrait of Queen Victoria seemed to watch in silence. For almost ten seconds she could not speak. Then, in a voice that wavered only once, she began:
“It is with the most profound sorrow that I must inform the nation… that His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, passed away peacefully at Kensington Palace at 13:48 this afternoon. He was surrounded by his immediate family.” A single tear escaped as she continued, almost inaudibly: “He never recovered from losing Katharine.
He simply… closed his eyes and followed her.” The room behind the cameras erupted into muffled sobs. The Countess of Wessex, Sophie, collapsed into the arms of an equerry, her cries audible even on the live feed. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, stood rooted to the spot, face drained of colour, unable to move or speak. Only Princess Alexandra, the Duke’s younger sister, remained composed enough to place a steadying hand on Princess Anne’s shoulder as the broadcast ended after just 63 seconds.
