The Kents

[Belindabelle]

Just looking at the official coronation photograph of the modern slimmed down monarchy.

I see the Duke of Kent. I know his wife the Duchess (my favorite) retired from public life some years ago.

What happened to prince and princess Michael of Kent. I know they were at the coronation but how come the Duke outranks them and they are not part of the new firm.

Can anybody explain.

Prince Michael is the Duke of Kent’s younger brother (please correct me if I’m wrong!!) so he was always outranked, I think there was some scandal with him lately involving Russia which is why he might have been involuntarily retired?

The Duke of Kent is the older brother of Prince Michael of Kent, he inherited the Duke title when his father died as he's the eldest son.

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent aren't working royals so that's why they weren't in the official portraits.

The Dukedom of Kent is also a royal dukedom (as opposed to the common old garden variety) which is why he’s titled as the Duke of Kent rather than Prince Edward of Kent.

I don't think the Duke of Kent or Princess Alexandra carry out many engagements but they still do, presumably, or keep some patronages. Princess Alexandra looks very short now - nice to see her and to see Sophie and Edward supporting her, but not nice to see her needing the help.

Right so Duke outranks Prince.

What relationship is the Duke of Kent to the King?

Who are the Gloucester’s and the Ogilvy woman?

Sorry for the questions. I feel like I should probably know this stuff, and yes, I could google, but you lot are so knowledgeable.

They are the sons of Prince George who was George VI’s younger brother. So cousins of QE2 and therefore second cousins of the King.

They're all first cousins of the Queen, so 2nd cousins of King Charles. Plus they were all at the Queen's coronation too & in her official portrait so nice they're in this one too.

Prince Micheal of Kent retired in June last year. I’m not sure if his wife was ever a working royal.

Duke of Kent is Queen Elizabeth's 1st cousin

The Ogilvy woman is Princess Alexandra of Kent, first cousin to the late Queen, sister of the Duke of Kent and Prince Michael and widow of Angus Ogilvy. I expect you could google a few minutes of footage of her wedding. I think they were a very attractive couple.

The Duke of Gloucester was first cousin to the late Queen and is first cousin to the Duke of Kent.

All grandchildren of the monarch plus all those in the direct line can be styled prince/princess. So as the queen’s cousins were grandchildren of George V they are all princes/princesses.

Seems odd that these people were the Beateices/Zaras etc of their day and most people now probably aren’t sure who they are.

Is the cousin of your parent not a first cousin once removed?

Prince George was killed in a plane crash aged just 40. So much scandal attached to him too. Drugs and drink abuse. Bisexuality too at a time when gay sex was illegal. He was considered a heart throb and the best looking son of the King George V.

I always thought your second cousins were your parents’ cousins, but don’t quote me on that 😂

There is no first cousin once removed - it's 2nd cousin then 2nd cousin once removed.

Thank you. I find this so interesting and should educate myself.

So the Kent’s, Gloucesters and Ogilvies are the late Queens contemporaries and their children would be in the photograph had the Queen not died before her cousins.

That's right & then your parent's cousin's children are your 2nd cousins once removed.

So true - that is funny to think about actually.

The picture really does bring home just how slim the working royal family is now. They really could do with a few more! I'd quite like Beatrice and Eugenie to have bigger roles (assuming they want it) albeit ignoring their parents & keeping them as out of the picture as possible!)

I wonder if William will have Peter Phillips and spouse, Zara and Mike, Béa and Eduardo, Eugenie and Jack, Louise and future spouse, James and future spouse in his coronation. Obviously Harry and Megs won’t be there.

That’s not quite right - 1st, 2nd, 3rd cousins etc are all in the same plane of descent. To be “removed” is to be one step up or down from that plane.

So, the Queen was first cousins with the Kents (Edward, Alexandra and Michael) and the Gloucesters (William and Richard). They all shared grandparents in George V and Queen Mary.

Her son, Charles, is a first cousin once removed to those five, and a second cousin (children of cousins) to the children of those four (William died youngish and single), none of whose names I can remember except for Frederick, son of Michael and Marina, daughter of Alexandra. They all share great-grandparents, Geo. V and QM.

There are lots of charts on the internet which explain how to work out the degree of cousin relationships.

'The Ogilvy woman', Princess Alexandra, was one of the Queen's closest friends and confidantes, someone she knew she could trust implicitly.

Second cousins are the children of 2 first cousins. The cousin of your parent is your first cousin once removed.

support.ancestry.com/s/article/Understanding-Kinship-Terms?language=en_US

Apologies if I was wrong.