Prince and Princess Michael of Kent Current Events 7: Sep 2022 -

[tihkon2]

Also I don't think Princess Michael of Kent ever carried out any public duties on behalf of the crown.
Had the Princess done so then perhaps she'd have British Royal Order?

I think they did in the 70's or 80's, at least once or twice.

 

[LauraS3514]

Not quite. There were "Ladies of the Garter" early in its history. Queen Philippa (Edward III) was one, as were her successors up through Elizabeth Wydville, the three eldest daughters of Edward IV, and other royal and noble ladies. The last "Lady of the Garter" in this early period was Margaret, Countess of Richmond, the mother of Henry VI, named in 1488. There were no more until Queen Alexandra.

List of the Knights of the Garter (1348-present)

Ooops! Typo I didn't see in time to edit. Margaret Countess of Richmond was of course the mother of Henry VII.

 

[Daz_Voz]

Why is Princess Michael of Kent called that? That is, why is she styled by her husband's given name?

 

[TLLK]

From my limited knowledge, she's known as Princess Michael because her husband does not have a royal dukedom like his older brother. Therefore she takes the feminine version of his title and name.

 

[Iluvbertie]

All wives of British princes take the feminine of their husband's titles so:

The Prince of Wales' wife is The Princess of Wales (not Princess Catherine - she isn't a princess in her own right)
The Duke of Sussex's wife is The Duchess of Sussex
The Duke of Edinburgh's wife is The Duchess of Edinburgh
The Duke of Gloucester's wife was Princess Richard when he was only Prince Richard but was raised to The Duchess of Gloucester when her husband inherited the Dukedom
The Duke of Kent's late wife was The Duchess of Kent
Prince Michael's wife is Princess Michael as he has nothing better for her to use.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

That is, why is she styled by her husband's given name?

Beginning in the 19th century, it became the social custom in Britain for married women, in general, to be styled by their husbands' given names. Thus, during the reign of Queen Victoria, a married woman named Mary and married to a man named John Smith would have been known (at least in "polite society") as Mrs. John Smith, rather than Mrs. Mary Smith.

Since the 20th century, society has gradually reverted to older tradition, and increasingly, married women are styled by their own given names once more.

However, the royal family and nobility continue to follow the 19th-century practice of using the husband's given name. Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara is also styled Mrs. Michael Tindall, not Mrs. Zara Tindall, by Buckingham Palace.

https://www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2025-02/ANNEX%20D%20-%20Royal%20Family.pdf