The Prince and Princess of Wales will attend the Duchess of Kent’s funeral this afternoon, Kensington Palace has announced. Prince William and Princess Kate, both 43, will be among a number of royals set to attend the service at Westminster Cathedral, with King Charles and Queen Camilla also set to attend.
The funeral is set to begin at 2pm today and will mark the first Catholic funeral held for a member of the Royal Family since the Reformation. Members of the duchess’ family, including her husband the Duke of Kent, were spotted outside the Cathedral last night as the duchess’ wicker coffin arrived.
It remained there overnight, having been moved from her Kensington Palace home.
The funeral comes 12 days after the duchess sadly passed away at her Kensington Palace home on September 4.
The duchess was surrounded by her family, a statement from Buckingham Palace read at the time.
In a statement published a day after the duchess’ death, Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.
“The King and Queen and all Members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly The Duchess’s life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”