Lady Helen Taylor supported her father the Duke of Kent as they attended her late mother’s vigil on Monday. 

The Duchess of Kent’s daughter, aged 61, accompanied Prince Edward, aged 89, arm-in-arm at a ceremony honoring the departed royal, with Prince Edward using a cane to assist his walk.

Katharine’s coffin was carried out of Kensington Palace for the final time this evening ahead of her funeral tomorrow. 

She passed away at the age of 92 on September 4 following a period of declining health, with Buckingham Palace confirming her peaceful passing at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her loved ones.

A royal hearse, specially designed by Queen Elizabeth, transported the Duchess’s coffin from her residence in Kensington to Westminster Cathedral, where a private vigil was held for her closest family members.

A military piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards, which the Duchess championed as deputy Colonel-in-Chief since its inception in 1992, led the initial segment of the procession.

Service members from the regiment functioned as the bearer party, carrying the coffin into the cathedral, where it will remain overnight in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary before a Catholic funeral service on Tuesday.

Katharine and her husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, were parents to three children: Lady Helen Taylor, George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, and Lord Nicholas Windsor.

Lady Helen Taylor (pictured, right) is seen attending a vigil for her late mother, the Duchess of Kent, with her father, the Duke of Kent (pictured, left)

Helen, 61, has four children with husband Timothy Taylor – Columbus Taylor, 31, Cassius Taylor, 28, Eloise Olivia Katherine Taylor, 22, and Estella Taylor, 20. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales paid tribute to the Duchess of Kent at the start of September, stating that their thoughts were with The Duke, George, Helen and Nicholas.    

In a statement signed ‘W & C’, the Prince and Princess of Wales said: ‘Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.

‘The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family’

The Duchess of Kent, who withdrew from royal duties in 2002, had become the first member of the royal family to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years, doing so in 1994, and it was her wish to have her funeral at Westminster Cathedral. 

King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the Firm will join the Duke of Kent, 89, and his family for the requiem mass.

Afterwards, the coffin will be taken by hearse to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, on the Windsor estate, for a completely private burial ceremony.

Flags will be at half-mast at all official Royal Residences flying the Union flag on the day of the funeral.

Prince Edward Duke of Kent and his daughter Lady Helen Taylor arrive at Westminster Cathedral on Monday night – the day before the funeral of the Duchess of Kent

The coffin of the Duchess of Kent, Katharine, is carried for a private vigil on the eve of the Duchess of Kent’s funeral

The Duchess of Kent is pictured with her daughter Lady Helen Taylor at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London in 2008 

On Monday, the coffin exited the palace at 4.45pm to begin the 15 minute journey to Westminster Cathedral, the heart of the Catholic faith in London.

The distinctive claret-coloured Royal Hearse – also known as the State Hearse – was last seen in use in 2022 when Queen Elizabeth died.

It was built by Jaguar Land Rover in consultation with the Royal Household and the Queen herself.

It features expansive rear windows and a glass roof – apparently personally requested by Her Late Majesty – which offers a full view of any coffin contained inside.

Katharine became the oldest living member of the Royal Family when Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022. 

Tributes poured in for the late royal, among them was one from prime minister Keir Starmer.  

The politician said the Duchess of Kent brought ‘compassion, dignity and a human touch to everything she did’, as he paid tribute following her death. 

Katharine attended events marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and was present for the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s 2011 wedding, and the Sussexes’ nuptials in 2018 where she wore comfortable white trainers paired with a floral Erdem maxi dress and walked arm in arm with a staff member from the royal household for support. 

The Duke (pictured, left) and Duchess of Kent (pictured, right) are photographed in Windsor for the funeral of the Duchess of Gloucester in 2004

In recent years, her health grew increasingly poor and she did not attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral or the King’s coronation. 

Following her death, many of Katharine’s grandchildren posted tributes on social media, with Lady Amelia Windsor, 30, sharing a vintage monochrome photograph of her grandmother, along with a red love heart.

Others, such as Lady Marina Windsor shared several glamorous photographs of the late royal in her youth, including graceful snaps captured on her wedding day in 1961.

The 32-year-old, who is one of Katharine’s ten grandchildren, wrote: ‘Rest in peace my amazing and beloved Amama [grandmother], we will miss and love you so much always and thank you to everyone who has sent such kind and touching messages, sending lots of love to all.’ 

Other pictures including the Duchess dressed in a yellow ensemble, cuddling a koala bear, along with a more recent snap of her dressed in a more casual white shirt and jeans combination, standing in a doorway.

Lady Marina also shared an Instagram story that said: ‘My amazing Amama, I love you always and forever and more than words could ever say. 

‘Thank you for everything, all the deep love, special friendship, giggles and hugs, I will miss you so much and you will always be in my heart.’ 

India Hicks, 58, also took to her Instagram account to post a tribute to the Duchess, revealing that she woke up to the news that her beloved godmother had passed away. 

Duchess of Kent is pictured with the Duke of Kent and their children George Windsor, Lady Helen Taylor and Nicholas Windsor at their home in 1970

She said Katharine was an ‘involved’ godmother, adding that she ‘never forgot a birthday or Christmas’. 

India also shared a personal anecdote about her grandfather’s funeral – which fell on her birthday – and recalled how the Duchess remember to get her a memorable gift. 

She wrote: ‘My grandfather’s funeral was held on my 11th Birthday. 

‘It took place on 5th September 1979, following his assassination by the IRA. Before the service, on the steps of Westminster Abbey, Princess Grace approached my mother. 

‘Seeing me, she caught sight of a gold cross I was wearing and, bending down commented on how lovely it was. “Thank you. It is brand-new today, from my godmother.” I replied childishly.

‘My Godmother, the Duchess of Kent, had remembered that it would be my birthday. She had organized in a short amount of time to have this small cross engraved with the date.

‘She was an involved Godmum. She attended my christening (seen here standing next to another exceptional godparent) she attended my confirmation, she even attended my daughter’s christening. 

‘She never forgot a birthday or Christmas. She would send me letters to boarding school written in her beautiful spidery hand writing.

‘A thoughtful and graceful godmother whose deeply personal faith journey left a lasting impression on me as a teenager.’