Duchess of Kent to have first royal Catholic funeral in the UK since the Reformation

The Duchess of Kent's funeral service will be held at Westminster Cathedral. The service is thought to be the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family to take place in the United Kingdom since the Reformation.

The Duchess of Kent, or Katharine Kent as she preferred to be called, died aged 92. She had converted to the Catholic faith in 1994, becoming the first royal to do so since Charles II’s deathbed conversion in 1685. Charles received Catholic last rites but had an Anglican funeral, which was a subdued affair, possibly due to his conversion.

Her conversion from Anglicanism came at a time of turmoil within the Anglican Communion. In 1992, the General Synod — the governing body of the Church of England — voted in favour of allowing women to become priests. The vote, and its subsequent implementation in March 1994, led to thousands of conversions to Catholicism, including notable Anglican leaders such as Graham Leonard, the former Bishop of London, who was later ordained a Catholic priest and granted the title Monsignor Leonard.

However, the Duchess described her decision as having had “a great deal to do with people I met,” suggesting she had not been drawn into the controversy. Reflecting on her reasoning, she told the BBC: “I do love guidelines, and the Catholic Church offers you guidelines. I have always wanted that in my life. I like to know what’s expected of me. I like being told: you shall go to church on Sunday and if you don’t you’re in for it!”

Katharine was married to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who is currently 42nd in the line of succession and, at 89, survives her. At the time of her conversion, the Act of Settlement 1701 still prohibited a royal successor from marrying a Roman Catholic and retaining their place in the line of succession. However, the Act did not address the case of someone marrying an Anglican who subsequently becomes a Catholic — meaning, in theory, the Duchess could have become the first Catholic Queen Consort since the Reformation if the Duke had become King. The 2013 Succession to the Crown Act revoked the prohibition on heirs marrying Catholics.

Her conversion led to a wave of royal conversions, with her younger son, Lord Nicholas Windsor, her grandson Lord Downpatrick, and her granddaughter Lady Marina Windsor also becoming Catholics.

The Duchess was known for her quiet dignity and personal faith. She stepped back from public life, choosing a path outside the spotlight but remaining committed to public service. She taught music at a state primary school in Hull under the name “Mrs Kent” and volunteered at The Passage, a homeless shelter run by the Diocese of Westminster.

Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, 16 September at 2:00 pm BST, with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the highest-ranking Catholic cleric in England and Wales, leading the liturgy. The Westminster Cathedral Choir will sing parts of the Mass. The service will not be televised.

Alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla, her husband the Duke of Kent, her children and grandchildren, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales (Prince William and Catherine), are expected to attend. It is thought the Duke of Sussex (Prince Harry) may also attend, though this has not been confirmed.

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