Duchess Handed Back Her Royal Title To The Queen — And Embarked On A Wild Double Life

You’ve heard of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, of course, but there’s another duchess out there who’s very much worth getting to know. Except she prefers not to be considered a duchess, and she even took the drastic step of giving her royal title back to the Queen. But what possible reason could she have had for making such a sacrifice?

A royal marriage

The woman in question is called Katharine, and she’s married to Prince Edward — but not the one who’s the son of the Queen. Her Prince Edward is a cousin to the Queen. He’s the son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. Prince Edward is therefore also known as the Duke of Kent. With us so far? Good! 

Class differences

And like some of the women who came after her — Kate, Meghan — Katharine was seen as a “commoner” before marrying into the royal family. That’s despite the fact that she was the daughter of a baronet. So, Prince Edward’s mother apparently decided that Katharine wasn’t a suitable match for her son. Edward, though? He had other ideas. 

Royal but private

Katharine and Edward did get married, of course, and they had three children together. But since the pair tied the knot back in 1961, Katharine’s maintained a very low profile. Even the keenest royal watchers may not be familiar with her — or her decision to give back her title. 

The Markle debacle

And taking a step back from the royal family is very serious business. Just ask Meghan. When she and Harry revealed that they were renouncing their positions as senior royals, it made headlines across the entire world. Even worse, their decision reportedly disappointed the rest of the family — and put them all at odds.