The Queen‘s official birthday parade takes place on Saturday 12 June at Windsor Castle and while this year’s Trooping the Colour will be a pared-back ceremony like last year, the monarch, 95, will be accompanied by a member of her family.
The Duke of Kent will be by Her Majesty’s side for the parade in the Castle’s Quadrangle in his role as Colonel of the Scots Guards – the Queen’s Colour of F Company Scots Guards will be trooped at this year’s parade.
Prince Edward is the Queen’s first cousin through their fathers, Prince George, Duke of Kent and King George VI.
The 85-year-old was born on 9 October 1935 in London as the eldest child of the late Prince George and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. Prince Edward also has two younger siblings, Princess Alexandra, 84, and Prince Michael of Kent, 78.
He has held the title of Duke of Kent since the age of six, after the death of his father in a plane crash in 1942.
Edward married Katharine Worsley on 8 June 1961 at York Minster with the bride wearing a wedding dress designed by John Cavanagh, which was made of 237 yards of French-made diaphanous white silk gauze and featured a 15-foot double train. Katharine’s white tulle veil was secured with the Kent Diamond and Pearl Fringe Tiara.
The Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh‘s daughter, Princess Anne, was also given a starring role as a bridesmaid at the nuptials.
Prince Edward and Katharine have three children, George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor and Lord Nicholas Windsor, born in 1962, 1964 and 1970 respectively.
The couple, who split their time living between Wren House Kensington Palace and Oxfordshire, also have ten grandchildren.
Edward, who is 40th in line to the throne, carries out engagements on behalf of the Queen and is involved with over 140 charitable organisations.
He was also among the 30 guests in attendance at Prince Philip’s funeral in April.
