King, royals at duchess of Kent funeral as Camilla ill

The King, Prince William and the Princess of Wales attended the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday.

The Duchess, who died on 4 September aged 92, was honoured with a requiem mass the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family in modern times.

Queen Camilla, 78, was unable to attend after Buckingham Palace confirmed she is recovering from acute sinusitis. The palace said she was resting at Windsor and expressed her thoughts and prayers for the Duke of Kent and his family.

The Queen’s absence has raised uncertainty about her participation in the upcoming state visit of US President Donald Trump, which begins on Wednesday. She is said to be hopeful of joining the King for key events, including the state banquet.

During the service, Pope Leo XIV sent a personal tribute praising the Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness and dedication to royal duty.

Other members of the Royal Family, including Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, were in attendance, alongside public figures such as Sir Jackie Stewart and actresses Rula Lenska and Dame Maureen Lipman.

Read also: Duchess of Kent dies at 92