BREAKING Historic 1st Catholic Royal Funeral in Centuries of the Duchess of Kent - Pope Leo XIV Sends Condolences to King Charles III - VIDEO
.png)
The Duchess of Kent’s funeral service was held at the Catholic Westminster Cathedral attended by the King and other members of the royal family.
However, the Queen, Camilla did not the service. Camilla, age 78, had been set to join the King and other members of the royal family at the farewell to the duchess at Westminster Cathedral in London on Tuesday afternoon.
Today, Members of the Royal Family gathered at Westminster Cathedral to remember the life of The Duchess of Kent.
In 1961, The Duchess married The Duke of Kent, cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, in York Minster. Together, they had three children and ten grandchildren.
Proudly of Yorkshire heritage, Her Royal Highness became a working Member of The Royal Family following her marriage, and in 1977 she was created a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).
For the last three decades of her life, The Duchess focused on her passion for music, stepping aside as a working Member of The Royal Family in 2002 to focus on her private and charitable work in this sector.
On 5th September 2025, Buckingham Palace announced that The Duchess of Kent had died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, aged 92.
A devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith, The Duchess became the first Member of the Royal Family to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years, doing so in 1994, and it was her wish to have her funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
The Funeral marks the first Royal Funeral at Westminster Cathedral since its construction in 1903, and the first Royal Catholic funeral in modern history.
The Monarch has previously attended Requiem Masses in Britain. Queen Victoria attended the Catholic Funeral Mass of Prince Imperial Louis-Napoleon at St Mary’s Church, Chislehurst in 1879. King George V attended the Requiem Mass for Empress Eugénie at St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough in July 1920.
The Mass was conducted by The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. The Dean of Windsor joined the Cathedral clergy during the Mass, before presiding, with the Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, over the burial of The Duchess in Windsor.
During the Requiem Mass, a message to His Majesty The King from Pope Leo XIV was read by His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain:
I was saddened to learn of the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent, and I send heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness, to Your Majesty, the Members of the Royal Family, and especially to her husband, The Duke of Kent, and their children and grandchildren at this time of sorrow.
"Entrusting her noble soul to the mercy of our Heavenly Father, I readily associate myself with all those offering thanksgiving to Almighty God for The Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society. To all who mourn her loss, in the sure hope of the Resurrection, I willingly impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Risen Lord."
A Piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards, of which The Duchess of Kent was the Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, played a Lament, ‘Sleep, Dearie, Sleep’, while processing from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, past the coffin in the Nave and down the Centre Aisle of the Cathedral. The same Lament was played during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
The Choir and Organist of Westminster Cathedral provided choral music, composed by Maurice Duruflé, during the Requiem Mass. This included ‘Ave verum corpus’, by Mozart, which was selected by The Duchess as her favourite piece, during Her Royal Highness’s episode of Desert Island Discs in December 1990.
The wreath of British garden flowers placed on top of The Duchess’s coffin included white roses, symbolising the white rose of Yorkshire, where Her Royal Highness was born. The wreath also featured: sprays of rosemary for Remembrance; oak leaves for strength; seasonal September flowers symbolising farewell; achillea representing healing and strength; jasmine for amiability; and sprigs of yew from the gardens of Hovingham Hall, the Worsley family home, representing eternal life. The flowers were chosen by The Duchess’s family.
The Royal Family Allows: Members of the public wishing to pay their condolences to Her Royal Highness's family can do so here.
The requiem mass, a Catholic funeral, is the first to be held for a member of the monarchy in modern British history and featured a Scottish bagpipe lament performed during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
A piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards played the lament – Sleep, Dearie, Sleep – while processing from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, past the duchess’s coffin in the Nave and down the cathedral’s central aisle.
The late Queen’s funeral service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, ended with a piper playing the same tune.
Katharine, the wife of the late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on the evening of September 4 aged 92.
A devout convert to the Roman Catholic faith, the duchess became the first member of the royal family to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years, doing so in 1994, and it was her wish to have her funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
The King was joined by senior members of the royal family at the Mass, as well as the duchess’s immediate family and her friends.
In a message sent to His Majesty King Charles III, Pope Leo XIV sent a note to King Charles III of “heartfelt condolences” and “prayerful closeness” to the King, the Duke of Kent, and the Royal Family as they attend the Requiem Mass for Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, in Westminster Cathedral.
The Holy Father gave thanks to God for “the Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society.”
Pope Leo concluded by imparting his Apostolic Blessing to those present “as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Risen Lord.”
The message was read by the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía.
Full message of Pope Leo XIV
His Majesty King Charles III
Buckingham Palace
London
I was saddened to learn of the death of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and I send heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness, to your majesty, the members of the Royal Family, and especially to her husband, the Duke of Kent, and their children and grandchildren at this time of sorrow.
Entrusting her noble soul to the mercy of our Heavenly Father, I readily associate myself with all those offering thanksgiving to Almighty God for the Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society.
To all who mourn her loss, in the sure hope of the Resurrection, I willingly impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Risen Lord.
Leo PP. XIV
The Holy Father gave thanks to God for “the Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society.”
Pope Leo concluded by imparting his Apostolic Blessing to those present “as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Risen Lord.”
The message was read by the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía.
Full message of Pope Leo XIV
His Majesty King Charles III
Buckingham Palace
London
I was saddened to learn of the death of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and I send heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness, to your majesty, the members of the Royal Family, and especially to her husband, the Duke of Kent, and their children and grandchildren at this time of sorrow.
Entrusting her noble soul to the mercy of our Heavenly Father, I readily associate myself with all those offering thanksgiving to Almighty God for the Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society.
To all who mourn her loss, in the sure hope of the Resurrection, I willingly impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Risen Lord.
Leo PP. XIV
STATEMENT on the Funeral by the ROYAL FAMILY
On the afternoon of Tuesday 16th September, His Majesty The King and Members of the Royal Family joined The Duke of Kent and members of The Duchess’s family at a Requiem Mass for The Duchess of Kent.Today, Members of the Royal Family gathered at Westminster Cathedral to remember the life of The Duchess of Kent.
In 1961, The Duchess married The Duke of Kent, cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, in York Minster. Together, they had three children and ten grandchildren.
Proudly of Yorkshire heritage, Her Royal Highness became a working Member of The Royal Family following her marriage, and in 1977 she was created a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).
For the last three decades of her life, The Duchess focused on her passion for music, stepping aside as a working Member of The Royal Family in 2002 to focus on her private and charitable work in this sector.
On 5th September 2025, Buckingham Palace announced that The Duchess of Kent had died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, aged 92.
A devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith, The Duchess became the first Member of the Royal Family to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years, doing so in 1994, and it was her wish to have her funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
The Funeral marks the first Royal Funeral at Westminster Cathedral since its construction in 1903, and the first Royal Catholic funeral in modern history.
The Monarch has previously attended Requiem Masses in Britain. Queen Victoria attended the Catholic Funeral Mass of Prince Imperial Louis-Napoleon at St Mary’s Church, Chislehurst in 1879. King George V attended the Requiem Mass for Empress Eugénie at St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough in July 1920.
The Mass was conducted by The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. The Dean of Windsor joined the Cathedral clergy during the Mass, before presiding, with the Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, over the burial of The Duchess in Windsor.
During the Requiem Mass, a message to His Majesty The King from Pope Leo XIV was read by His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain:
I was saddened to learn of the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent, and I send heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness, to Your Majesty, the Members of the Royal Family, and especially to her husband, The Duke of Kent, and their children and grandchildren at this time of sorrow.
"Entrusting her noble soul to the mercy of our Heavenly Father, I readily associate myself with all those offering thanksgiving to Almighty God for The Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society. To all who mourn her loss, in the sure hope of the Resurrection, I willingly impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Risen Lord."
A Piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards, of which The Duchess of Kent was the Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, played a Lament, ‘Sleep, Dearie, Sleep’, while processing from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, past the coffin in the Nave and down the Centre Aisle of the Cathedral. The same Lament was played during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
The Choir and Organist of Westminster Cathedral provided choral music, composed by Maurice Duruflé, during the Requiem Mass. This included ‘Ave verum corpus’, by Mozart, which was selected by The Duchess as her favourite piece, during Her Royal Highness’s episode of Desert Island Discs in December 1990.
The wreath of British garden flowers placed on top of The Duchess’s coffin included white roses, symbolising the white rose of Yorkshire, where Her Royal Highness was born. The wreath also featured: sprays of rosemary for Remembrance; oak leaves for strength; seasonal September flowers symbolising farewell; achillea representing healing and strength; jasmine for amiability; and sprigs of yew from the gardens of Hovingham Hall, the Worsley family home, representing eternal life. The flowers were chosen by The Duchess’s family.
The Royal Family Allows: Members of the public wishing to pay their condolences to Her Royal Highness's family can do so here.
Comments