Pope Francis funeral date set as Catholics mourn
Pope Francis’ procession will be held on Wednesday, and his funeral service will take place Saturday April 26.
King Charles III will not be among the world leaders attending Pope Francis’ funeral Saturday. His son, Prince William, will go in his place on behalf of the royal family.
Pope Francis, the former Argentinian cardinal who often bucked age-old Vatican traditions in favor of more modern yet humble approaches, died on April 21. After an extended respiratory illness, the 266th pope died due to a stroke and irreversible heart failure, the Vatican confirmed. He was 88 years old.
Why is King Charles not allowed at the Vatican?
While world leaders including President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump plan to attend the funeral on April 26, rules of the British monarchy block King Charles’ attendance.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl explained the situation in Vanity Fair.
King Charles “will not travel to the Vatican, in accordance with protocol and precedence which dictates that the Sovereign does not attend funerals, Buckingham Palace has confirmed,” Nicholl wrote.
This isn’t the first time a British monarch has been absent from a pope’s funeral. When Pope John Paul II died in April 2005, Charles III’s own wedding to Queen Camilla was delayed so he could attend the funeral in Queen Elizabeth II’s place.
In an April 21 statement on social media, Charles said he and Camilla were “deeply saddened” by the pope’s death, but their “heavy hearts were somewhat eased” knowing “His Holiness was able to share an Easter greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.”
“His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others,” Charles added. “His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world.”
King Charles III, Queen Camilla visit Italy weeks before pope’s death
Charles’ tribute came just two weeks after he and Camilla visited Italy for a four-day state visit the week of April 7. The engagement marked the monarch’s 17th official visit to Italy and his first overseas trip of 2025 as he continues to undergo treatment for an unspecified form of cancer.
“Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many,” said Charles of Pope Francis. “The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years, and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier this month.”
Charles, 76, whose workload must be managed carefully amid his cancer recovery, wrote privately to the pope when Francis was taken ill, a source previously told Reuters. The pair met during Charles’ visits to Rome in 2017 and 2019 before he became king.
As British monarch, Charles heads the Church of England, which split from the Catholic Church in 1534. A palace spokesperson said at the time that his and Camilla’s trip would symbolize a significant step forward in relations between the two and mark celebrations for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year.
“We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve,” Charles wrote in the ending to his statement, “and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful father of Jesus Christ.”
— USA TODAY contributed to this report.