'Humble' duchess sold her clothes to buy new

THE late Duchess of Kent used to sell all her clothes at the end of the season to finance the buying of new ones, her daughter has said.

- LAURA ELSTON

Lady Helen Taylor spoke to Tatler about her late mother

Lady Helen Taylor told Tatler magazine that her mother Katharine, who died at the age of 92 in September, loved clothes, recalling how they gave her confidence when she carried out public engagements.

She said: "At the end of each season, she sold all her clothes to finance buying new ones."

Lady Helen also recounted how the musically gifted duchess, who played the piano, almost lost the tip of her finger after a friend accidently shut it in a car door.

"She was playing the piano a lot then, and so had to have the tip of her finger sewn back on," she said.