Fresh anguish for the grieving Duke of Kent as his son splits from his wife of 19 years

Paola Frankopan, the wife of Lord Nicholas Windsor and daughter-in-law of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, has separated from her husband, according to the Daily Mail. The split is a fresh blow for the 89-year-old duke, whose wife, the Duchess of Kent, died earlier this month at age 92. Paola was conspicuously absent from Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday for the funeral of the duchess, while King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales were among the senior royals in attendance.

Paola and Nicholas Windsor, who met at a party in New York in 1999, wed in 2006 in a three-day ceremony that included a white-tie ball and a reception atop a hotel overlooking the Forum in Vatican City. The wedding was the first Roman Catholic royal wedding since the reign of Queen Mary I, and the first to be held in Vatican City. The couple have three sons, Albert, Leopold and Louis. Nicholas, a godson of the King, has largely stayed out of the limelight, but his life has included notable moments that have drawn public attention, including his decision to convert to Roman Catholicism and his longstanding commitment to Catholic faith within the royal sphere. He forfeited his place in the line of succession after his conversion, a fact that has colored perceptions of the Windsor family's position within the broader royal line.

A friend of the family told the Daily Mail that the couple have been separated for some time and no longer attend family events together, noting that both are reportedly uncomfortable with the idea of divorce. The separation underscores tensions within the Kent branch of the family, which has endured a period of public mourning and private strain in recent weeks.

The Duchess of Kent, born Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, died earlier this month at age 92, prompting a royal funeral that drew senior royals and dignitaries to Westminster Cathedral. On Tuesday, the service was attended by King Charles III and the Prince and Princess of Wales, underscoring the close ties among the Royal Family even as private strains persist. A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment on the separation or the family’s private affairs.

The Windsor story is also entwined with the Catholic faith at the center of Paola and Nicholas’s life together. Their marriage, conducted under Catholic rites, marked a significant moment for a royal family long associated with Anglican tradition. The couple’s three children—Albert, Leopold, and Louis—carry forward a line that has often been discussed in relation to succession and religious affiliation within the monarchy. In Parliament, a 17th-century precedent referenced the symbolic importance of Catholic faith within royal life, with later context noting debates sparked by royal baptism and the evolving understanding of the church’s role in the crown’s public duties.

Elsewhere in royal circles, the wider family’s past and present have continued to attract interest. Nicholas Windsor has previously spoken on social issues, and his public comments have drawn scrutiny and debate, reflecting the broader tensions that can accompany a family under constant public observation. The current separation adds another layer to a long-running narrative about private life within a constitutional framework designed to balance tradition with the pressures of modern scrutiny.

As the Windsor household navigates this period of upheaval, observers note the importance of discretion and privacy for the family’s next steps. The Duke of Kent, as a senior royal and a close relative to Queen Elizabeth II, has faced a difficult year marked both by public mourning and private sorrow. The palace has not released statements detailing the family’s internal arrangements, and the separation’s ultimate implications for the couple and their three sons remain a matter of speculation rather than confirmed fact. For now, the public record centers on the funeral service and the visible expressions of support from the wider royal family during a moment of collective remembrance, even as private grief and personal decisions unfold away from the cameras.