There was cake and a jolly good time at Windsor Castle yesterday, we imagine. King Charles reportedly threw a little birthday bash for a member of the royal family. It was probably a pretty sedated affair, though, given that the birthday boy just turned 90.

King Charles threw a party at Windsor Castle for Prince Edward, Duke of Kent

The gathering was thrown for none other than Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. We won’t blame you if you’ve never heard of him. Despite being a member of the royal family, he’s kept a pretty low profile over the years.

The royals hinted at an upcoming party in a post to celebrate the Duke’s birthday earlier this month. On Wednesday, they kept their word with a gathering hosted by the King and Queen Camilla, reports Hello!. Other royals in attendance included two of the King’s siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward. Disgraced Prince Andrew wasn’t there, perhaps unsurprisingly given his ongoing ousting from royal life.

Prince William and Princess Kate were also absent. That could be because the party took place during the school holiday – the couple have always pulled back from royal duties when their kids are off school.

So, who exactly is the Duke? Edward was a first cousin to Queen Elizabeth II, and was also more distantly related to Prince Philip (talk about keeping it in the family…). After serving in the British Army until 1976, he took up royal duties, and has continued to work with a number of charities. His wife Katharine, Duchess of Kent, died last month. Many members of the royal family were at her funeral at Westminster Cathedral.

In his 2022 memoir, Edward spoke of prioritizing Queen Elizabeth II. He wrote: “I always felt I wanted to support her. That’s by far the most important thing in life.”

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