On Sunday, the Duke of Kent marked a significant transition as he relinquished one of his most enduring royal responsibilities.

Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin participated in the Scots Guards Black Sunday, marking his final engagement as Colonel of the Scots Guard—a role he faithfully served for an impressive 50 years.

In a heartfelt statement shared through the royal family’s official social media channels, the 88-year-old described the appointment as “a genuine honor.”

It read: “Serving as Colonel of the Scots Guards since 1974, the longest anyone has spent in this role, has been a true honour and one which will forever fill me with great joy. Through those years, I have seen the work of the Scots Guards during peacetime and war.” 

At the ceremony, he paid tribute to the “bravery, selfless courage and devotion to duty” of the Scots Guards. The King’s youngest brother, Prince Edward, will now take on the position. 

The Duke said: “To my fellow Scots Guardsmen, I am immensely proud to have served you all. I am delighted that His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will continue to champion all that you do and work towards preserving your great legacy.” 

He appeared dapper in a navy blue suit paired with a blue checked shirt and a tie striped in red and blue, adorned with his impressive collection of medals, symbolizing his lengthy career.

A steadfast supporter of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke transitioned into a working role within the Royal Family after retiring from the British Army in 1976. He has frequently represented the royal family at significant occasions, notably accompanying the monarch to Trooping the Colour in 2022, just months before her passing.

During the parade in the Castle’s Quadrangle, he stood alongside Her Majesty as Colonel of the Scots Guards, overseeing the trooping of the Queen’s Colour of F Company Scots Guards.

Following the return of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the Guards, the Queen and the Duke, also known as Prince Edward, greeted them from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty took the salute.

The royal, known as Prince Edward, is the Queen’s first cousin through their fathers, Prince George, Duke of Kent, and King George VI. Born on October 9, 1935, in London, the 88-year-old is the eldest child of the late Prince George and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark.

Prince Edward also has two younger siblings: Princess Alexandra, aged 86, and Prince Michael of Kent, aged 80.

He assumed the title of Duke of Kent at the age of six following the tragic death of his father in a plane crash in 1942. Edward married Katharine Worsley on June 8, 1961, in a ceremony held at York Minster, with Princess Anne among the couple’s bridesmaids.

Prince Edward and Katharine have three children: George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews; Lady Helen Taylor; and Lord Nicholas Windsor, born in 1962, 1964, and 1970, respectively. The couple divides their time between Wren House in Kensington Palace and Oxfordshire and also has ten grandchildren.