The Duke of Kent is marking his 91st birthday while grieving the death of a long-serving member of his household.
Prince Edward’s Private Secretary, Nicholas Piers Turnbull, died on September 16 at the age of 63.
The circumstances surrounding his death have not been made public.
Mr Turnbull had worked for the Duke since 2019 and accompanied him on a number of official engagements. He was seen alongside the royal as recently as July, when they attended Wimbledon together and watched proceedings from the Royal Box.
Just two days before his death, Mr Turnbull was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order by the King. The honour recognises distinguished personal service to members of the Royal Family.
According to reports, Mr Turnbull was born in 1962 to John Earle Turnbull and Mary K Heath. He married Arabella Maroussia Phillimore in 2006, and the couple had two sons, Alexander Tristan and Crispin Finlay John.
The Duke has faced another significant personal loss in the past year following the death of his wife, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, in September 2025.
The couple had been married for more than six decades, having tied the knot at York Minster in 1961.
Despite his bereavement, the Duke has continued to undertake occasional public engagements.
Last month, he attended a special concert in memory of the Duchess at Sinfonia Smith Square in London.
He was joined by his younger brother, Prince Michael of Kent, as well as his three children, Lady Helen Taylor, the Earl of St Andrews and Lord Nicholas Windsor.
The event was organised by Future Talent, the charity founded by the Duchess to support young musicians from disadvantaged backgrounds.
More than 40 young musicians performed during the evening, with one piece, Destiny’s Journey by Future Talent alumnus Sam Nutter, written especially in honour of the Duchess.
Introducing the performance, Alexander Armstrong paid tribute to Katharine’s passion for music and her affection for people.
