A very special duchess FAREWELL, MRS KENT

We remember a dedicated royal and music teacher who was in tune with people

- Judy Kean

For 13 years, she was known simply as Mrs Kent, a music teacher at a primary school in the Yorkshire town of Hull.

It wasn’t until much later that staff and pupils learned that the popular teacher was in fact the Duchess of Kent, a member of the royal family.

Her secret teaching stint was just one remarkable phase of an unconventional – and at times very challenging - life. When the duchess died last week aged 92, tributes poured in for a woman who wasn’t a traditional royal but still dedicated her life to helping others, and was respected for her warmth and kindness.

“The children love working with her,” said the school’s headteacher when her identity was revealed. “They say she never gets cross – she always looks for the positive.”