How funeral act revealed "very sad" split between royal couple

Friends have reacted after a royal couple who made history on their wedding day are revealed to have quietly split – but it’s believed the duo will “never get divorced”.

When King Charles, Prince William, and his wife Kate attended the funeral of the late Duchess of Kent in September, there was one family member who was notably missing from Westminster Cathedral.

Lord Nicholas Windsor (circled) attended his mother’s funeral solo – leading to a revelation. (Credit: Getty)

The Duchess of Kent’s daughter-in-law, Paola (styled as Lady Nicholas Windsor), who is married to the Kents’ younger son, Lord Nicholas Windsor, did not attend, with reports emerging that the duo have been separated for some time.

Paola, 56, and Nicolas, 55, who is the King’s godson, had the first Roman Catholic wedding for a member of the Royal Family since the 16th century, when they wed in 2006.

Happier times. (Credit: Getty)

As a child, Nicholas also had a starring role as a page boy in Charles’s own wedding to Princess Diana in July 1981 – standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside the beaming newly married couple.

He also proudly stood alongside Kate and William and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, as the royals celebrated Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace back in 2019.

Now, friends have opened up on Nicholas’ split with Paola, revealing details for the first time.

Lord Nicholas Windsor in happier times. (Credit: Getty)

“It’s very sad, but the couple have been separated for some time,” a friend of the family told the Daily Mail.

“They no longer attend family events together. Both are very conservative and dislike divorce, so apparently they will never actually get divorced.”

The couple shares three sons, Albert, Leopold, and Louis.

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Katherine Davison

Katherine is an experienced writer and editor who has spent more than two decades working with some of the best-known media outlets in Australia and the UK. Before becoming a freelance contributor for New Idea, Katherine was Editor of the trusted Australian entertainment title WHO, and she is the former Managing Editor of Lifestyle, Entertainment, and Commercial for 7NEWS.com.au. She has a wide interest in topics spanning celebrity, lifestyle, shopping, travel, real life, and more – and when she’s not researching her next story or crafting a compelling headline, you’ll likely find her cycling around Sydney with her beloved dog, Pickle, in a backpack.

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How funeral act revealed “very sad” split between royal couple