The Prince and Princess of Wales are at Westminster Cathedral to say their final farewell to the Duchess of Kent alongside King Charles – but Queen Camilla has pulled out due to illness
The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived to pay their respects to the Duchess of Kent at her funeral.
It was confirmed earlier today that William and Kate would be at the service at Westminster Cathedral for the wife of the Duke of Kent – the late Queen’s cousin – this afternoon following the death of the Duchess earlier this month.
As members of the Royal Family arrived for the service, including King Charles, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, William and Kate travelled to the service together, both wearing black for the sad event.
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William had a white handkerchief tucked in his top pocket, while Kate wore a black hat with a large bow at the back and netting detail at the front, and pearl earrings, with her hair down at the back.
However, one royal not joining them was Queen Camilla but she pulled out of attending fter suffering from acute sinusitis, Buckingham Palace announced.
The Duchess of Kent – Katharine – died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on the evening of September 4 aged 92. Her Catholic funeral – a requiem mass – is the first to be held for a member of the monarchy in modern British history.
When the Duchess died earlier this month, William and Kate paid tribute to her in a heartfelt message saying: ” Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.
“The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family. W & C.”
Last night the Duchess’s coffin was brought from her Kensington Palace home to Westminster Cathedral where it has been at rest overnight in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Immediate family, including her widower, the Duke of Kent and their daughter Lady Helen Taylor, had been welcomed by the Dean of Westminster Cathedral Father Slawomir Witon and watched from the cathedral steps as soldiers from the Royal Dragoon Guards slowly carried the coffin.
Today’s funeral service will feature a Scottish bagpipe lament that was also performed at the late Queen’s funeral almost three years ago.
A piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards will play 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.
The Duchess, born Katharine Worsley, became best known for presenting the trophies at Wimbledon and memorably comforted a sobbing Jana Novotna after she lost the 1993 ladies’ singles final to Steffi Graf.
In 2002, she stepped back from royal duties, dropping her HRH style and spending her time as a low-key music teacher at a state school in Hull, where she was simply known as Mrs Kent.
Her public appearances became few and far between in recent years, although she attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018.
She was last seen in public last October at an event to mark the 89th birthday of her husband, when he was serenaded with Happy Birthday on the bagpipes outside the entrance of their Kensington Palace home, Wren House.
