The King joined members of the royal family for a historic Catholic funeral at Westminster Cathedral, marking the first requiem mass for a royal family member in modern British history. The Duchess of Kent's final farewell drew mourners to the deeply religious service that honoured her decades of royal duty.
Pope Leo XIV sent a personal tribute praising the duchess's "devoted care for vulnerable people" and her "legacy of Christian goodness". Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, the Holy See's diplomatic representative in the UK, read the papal message to the congregation during the ceremony conducted by Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
Royal attendance and notable absences
The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence, and the Duchess of Edinburgh joined close family members at the service. The Duke of York made a rare public appearance alongside his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, marking an unusual outing beyond Windsor's grounds.
Queen Camilla was notably absent after Buckingham Palace confirmed she was recovering from acute sinusitis. A palace spokesperson said: "With great regret, Her Majesty The Queen has withdrawn from attendance at this afternoon's requiem mass for the Duchess of Kent as she is recovering from acute sinusitis."
The announcement raises questions over Camilla's attendance at US President Donald Trump's state visit, which begins at Windsor on Wednesday. The Queen remains hopeful of recovering sufficiently to attend the planned royal elements, including a lavish state banquet.
Personal touches and family involvement
Three of the duchess's grandchildren - Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor, Eloise Taylor and Albert Windsor - participated by reading the Prayer of the Faithful. The duchess's daughter Lady Helen Taylor and son the Earl of St Andrews also gave readings during the ceremony.
Former Formula One world champion Sir Jackie Stewart and actresses Rula Lenska and Dame Maureen Lipman were among the mourners at the Westminster Cathedral service. The deeply religious ceremony reflected the duchess's devout Catholic faith and personal wishes.
Historic Catholic conversion
The duchess became the first royal family member to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years when she embraced the faith in 1994. Her wish to hold her funeral at Westminster Cathedral reflected her deep religious convictions and marked another historic first for the modern royal family.
Legacy beyond royal duties
Katharine, wife of the late Queen Elizabeth II's cousin the Duke of Kent, died peacefully at home on September 4 aged 92. She gained public affection for consoling losing Wimbledon finalists, notably comforting a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993, and later retreated from royal life to secretly teach music in a Hull primary school.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
