King leads royals in first royal Catholic funeral since the Reformation

The royal ensign was raised today outside Westminster Cathedral as King Charles led members of the Royal Family in mourning Katharine, Duchess of Kent, whose funeral took place in the historic Catholic church.

The funeral marked the first royal Catholic funeral and the first time a reigning monarch has attended Catholic Mass on UK soil in a formal capacity since the Reformation.

The service was attended by senior royals, friends, and family of the late duchess, who was remembered for her deep love of music, her charitable work, and her dedication to public duty. The Prince and Princess of Wales joined the Duke of Kent and his three children for the Requiem Mass — the first Catholic funeral of a royal in modern times.

Queen Camilla was unable to attend after being advised to rest while recovering from acute sinusitis. In a statement, Buckingham Palace conveyed her “deep regrets” at missing the service, adding that “her thoughts and prayers will be with the Duke of Kent and all the family.” The Palace also confirmed that the Queen still intends to take part in the forthcoming state visit of President Trump at Windsor on Wednesday.

Pope Leo sent a message that was read aloud during the liturgy, praising the duchess for her “dedication to official duties, patronage of charities and devoted care for vulnerable people.” He offered his “heartfelt condolences” to the King, the Duke of Kent, and their family, assuring them of his prayers.

Crowds lined the streets outside the cathedral as the coffin, draped in the royal standard and adorned with white roses symbolising the duchess’s Yorkshire roots, was carried inside. During the Mass, readings were given by her children and grandchildren, while Cardinal Vincent Nichols presided.

The Cardinal recalled the duchess’s long involvement with The Passage, the Westminster charity for the homeless, where she had volunteered in the kitchen and helped with cleaning. He said she had shown a down-to-earth spirit that touched the lives of those most in need.

Music formed a central part of the service, reflecting her lifelong passion. Pieces included Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus, chosen by the duchess as her favourite during her appearance on Desert Island Discs in 1990, as well as works by Bach and Maurice Duruflé. A piper closed the ceremony with the lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep, also played at the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral three years ago.

Among the mourners were Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence, Prince Andrew accompanied by Sarah Ferguson, and the Duchess of Edinburgh. Prince Edward was overseas on official duties.

Well-known friends and acquaintances also attended, including actresses Maureen Lipman and Rula Lenska, and racing champion Sir Jackie Stewart. Inside the cathedral, mourners filled the nave, many pausing to pay their respects as the family arrived. The duchess, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 92, was the oldest member of the Royal Family and the widow of the Duke of Kent, first cousin to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

After the service, the coffin was solemnly carried from Westminster Cathedral and transported to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, on the Windsor estate, where she was laid to rest. The service, combining traditional Catholic liturgy with personal touches reflecting her life and passions, provided a moment of private reflection for the family and a public reminder of the duchess’s enduring warmth, charity, and commitment to both faith and duty.

The relationship between the British Royal Family and the Roman Catholic Church has been shaped by centuries of history. In its modern era, it began with the Glorious Revolution of 1688. King James II, the last Catholic monarch of Britain, was deposed and replaced by the Protestant William III and Mary II. In the years that followed, legislation such as the Act of Settlement 1701 ensured that Catholics were barred from the line of succession, establishing a constitutional link between the monarchy and the Church of England that lasted for centuries.

Legal restrictions reinforced this Protestant identity. The 1701 Act of Settlement barred members of the Royal Family from marrying Catholics under pain of exclusion from the line of succession. This and other measures effectively prevented the Royal Family from openly participating in Catholic rites or ceremonies for more than three centuries.

In modern times, the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 eased some of these restrictions, ending the disqualification of heirs who marry Catholics, though the monarch must remain Protestant. This change has allowed members of the Royal Family to engage with the Catholic Church more openly, without threatening the constitutional framework.

Several royals have maintained private Catholic connections despite this historic barrier. For the Duke of Kent and other minor royals, practising Catholicism has long been part of family life, even if rarely visible to the public.

(Photo Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty Images)

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