This "Very Conservative" Royal Couple Is Secretly Separated But Will Likely "Never" Divorce

Members of the royal family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace including Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Princess Kate, King Charles

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 30 September 2025

The Royal Family gathered to say goodbye to the Duchess of Kent on September 16 after the 92-year-old died earlier this month, and sadly, the Kents are also experiencing another type of heartache. Shortly after the history-making Catholic funeral, it was revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Kent's youngest child, Lord Nicholas Windsor, has split from his wife of 19 years, Lady Nicholas Windsor. However, it seems the couple has no plans to divorce, per a royal source.

Born Paola Frankopan, Lady Nicholas Windsor shares a trait in common with Princess Beatrice's husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, as she hails from Italian and Croatian nobility. Paola, 56, is rarely seen at royal events, but her shocking absence from her mother-in-law's funeral seems to have forced the news of her separation to come to light.

"It's very sad, but the couple have been separated for some time," a source told the Daily Mail. "They no longer attend family events together. Both are very conservative and dislike divorce, so apparently they will never actually get divorced."

Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor dressed up and carrying their two young sons — Lord Nicholas Windsor and his wife, Paola, are seen with two of their sons in 2011.

Lord Frederick Windsor and his sons entering church for the Duchess of Kent's funeral — Lord Nicholas Windsor and his sons are seen entering the Duchess of Kent's funeral on September 16.

Like Nicholas's mother, the Duchess of Kent, his Catholic faith has shaped his life and, it seems, his views on divorce. Lord and Lady Nicholas broke royal tradition with their 2006 wedding, which was not only the first royal wedding to be held in Vatican City but the first Catholic British royal wedding since the 16th century.

They welcomed their first child, Albert, in 2007, making history once again as their son became the first royal child to be baptized a Catholic since 1688. Lord Nicholas and Paola also have two younger sons, Leopold, born in 2009, and Louis, born in 2014.

Lord Nicholas has expressed his religious views in the past, writing a 2011 anti-abortion essay in the Telegraph as well as a 2011 piece for the Catholic Herald condemning Britain's "moral handicap of our failure to care for the unborn."

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.