Music in the life of The Duchess of Kent

A guest post by @Princeroyal99!

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The Duchess of Kent has always been in love with music, in her childhood she’s started playing piano, organ and violin. At her final exams unfortunately she got low grade with music what foreclosed her studying at Royal Academy of Music. In final year at Runton Hill she organised school recitals as elected music secretary. Her dream was playing at Carnegie Hall. Katharine graduated from Oxford University and got degree in music. Thanks to a documentary by Christopher Nupen ”Who is Jacqueline du Pré?” we know she has liked very much cellist Jacqueline du Pré. For always she just wanted to teach music but marriage with Prince Edward The Duke of Kent made impossible realizing her dreams ( at least on the beginning).

In 1996, Katharine took up a position as a Music teacher in Wansbeck Primary School in Hull, where she was known as Mrs Kent. She was involved with the school 13 years. Only her close friend and family knew about her job. Her dream came true. She also taught playing piano in rented flat near to Kensington Palace.

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“When I was teaching the first thing I began to notice was the power of music as a stimulant to these children to give them confidence and self-belief. I began to see that happen all the time.”

Some of the children I taught haven’t necessarily become musicians, but the confidence it has given them, some have joined the Army, some to university, which they might not have done otherwise.”

In 2004 The Duchess together with Nick Robinson founded a charity, Future Talent, which aims to give every child an equal opportunity to excel in music. As we can read on the The home of the Royal Family The Duchess  of Kent is passionate about the power of music  and particularly the positive impact that music can have on young people. She came up with motto of Future Talent: ” We are changing young lives through music.”  The Duchess supports them in many ways, for example in 2016 organised concert at Buckingham Palace for young musicians, in 2018 at Windsor was hosted a concert as well.

“I love those children, I loved being there and I love Hull, I wouldn’t have stayed there if I hadn’t.” She is a great fan of Michael Bublé, raper Tinie Tempah and singer/songwriter Dido, whose song “Thank You” she chose as one of her favourite pieces of music.

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I think teaching is something I enjoy doing. You’re passing on a passion and that is what I think I’m good at.”

Recently she came back to teaching part-time at the local school attended by children who lived in Grenfell Tower.

“Someone asked me the other day, why wasn’t music as popular as football and I couldn’t answer at the time because I was nervous but then I realized that music is so much more popular than football.”

I have always loved talent, I love that tickle up the neck when you see talent and I began to realise I was teaching some very, very gifted children.”

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I am so happy The Duchess of Kent managed to realize her dreams! I hope you enjoyed my post. 
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2 thoughts on “Music in the life of The Duchess of Kent

  1. How lovely that the Duchess is still so actively relevant at 85 years old! She’s such an example to us all! 🙂

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