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The Duchess of Kent’s will be the first royal to have a Catholic funeral as Buckingham Palace confirm the send off will be held at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday.
Katharine, wife of the late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her close family, late on Thursday night.
Her funeral will be the first Catholic funeral service held for a member of the royal family in modern British history, with King Charles scheduled to attend.
The Palace have confirmed the royal’s coffin will will be taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral a day prior to funeral and be in the Lady Chapel overnight.
Afterwards, the coffin will be taken by hearse to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor.
The latest details about the Duchess’s funeral come amid speculation both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew may be in attendance at her funeral.
While it has been confirmed the Duke of Sussex will be in Britain ahead of the funeral for charity commitments, it remains unknown if he will attend the send off.
Harry will not be accompanied by his wife Meghan Markle or his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who will remain at home in Montecito, California.
The limelight, however, did not suit the woman who never lost her love for the rugged beauty and simplicity of her horse-riding childhood in Yorkshire. She chafed at the politesse of protocol. Pictured: The Duchess of Kent on a 1991 red carpet
Princess Diana and the Duchess of Kent had a warm friendship often sitting next to each other at royal events and WImbledon
Details of royal attendance will be released in the coming days but it is expected that most, if not all, members of the family would attend – including non-working royals. Pictured: the Duchess of Kent on her wedding day in June 1961
Details of royal attendance will be released in the coming days but it is expected that most, if not all, members of the family would attend – including non-working royals.
This is likely to include Prince Andrew, the Duke of York. The Daily Mail has approached Prince Harry’s representatives for comment.
The Duchess of Kent was very close to his Harry’s mother, Princess Diana with the pair often would often sit together at royal events and Wimbledon.
The two women enjoyed a warm friendship that dated back to her engagement to Harry’s father and she later spoke of her grief when Diana died in 1997.
It came as the Prince and Princess of Wales gave a loving tribute to the Duchess, with William and Kate saying she would be ‘much missed’.
The future king and queen described how she had ‘worked tirelessly’ in her life to help others.
The Duchess died at Kensington Palace surrounded by members of her family. She is survived by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and their three children.
In a statement signed ‘W & C’, the Prince and Princess of Wales said: ‘Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.
While it has been confirmed the Duke of Sussex will be in Britain ahead of the funeral for charity commitments, it remains unknown if he will attend the send off.
Prince Andrew seen today for the first time in a month riding at Windsor Castle
With her unmistakable silvery blonde bob, the Duchess of Kent was an ethereal beauty, elegant and stylish who, long before Princess Diana, was the royals’ queen of compassion. Pictured: the Duchess of Kent in April 2011
Her decision, late in life, to give up the royal style HRH, which she had received on marrying the duke in 1961, raised eyebrows. She asked to be known as ‘Lady Katharine’, ‘Mrs Kent’ or even plain ‘Kate’ – anything but ‘your royal highness’
Pictured: the Duchess of Kent poses in 1960, the year before her marriage to Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent
As Katharine’s biographer Mary Riddell noted, both the duchess and Diana suffered from low self-esteem and a lack of understanding from a royal family who – in those days – never ‘got’ mental anguish. Pictured: Diana, the Princess of Wales talking to The Duchess of Kent at Earls Court in London at a celebration of the 40th anniversary of The Queen’s Accession in 1992
And there the similarities end. While Diana and Charles divorced, Prince Edward – as the duke was born – and his luminous duchess soldiered on. Pictured: the Duke and Duchess of Kent in 1969
There were other compromises: the duchess withdrew from royal life leaving her husband to perform official duties alone, as he continues to do to this day
Friends say that, in time, the couple – who celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in June – reached an amicable understanding. But Katharine’s increasing infirmity saw the relationship change once again
‘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’.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Duchess of Kent brought ‘compassion, dignity and a human touch to everything she did’, as he paid tribute following her death.
The Duchess, who has been unwell for sometime, died at Wren House, her marital home in Kensington Palace, surrounded by close family late on Thursday evening. The cause of death has not been released.
No further details about the cause of the duchess’s death have been released.
Buckingham Palace said that any visits by the family to pay their respects in person would remain private.
The King has approved that Royal Mourning should take place until and including the day of the Duchess’s funeral, which is expected to be on Tuesday.
During this time members of The Royal Family and staff will wear clothing which pays appropriate tribute during this period. Those in Livery, the Royal Mews and Troops on Public Duties will wear black armbands.
It is unlikely there will be any national mourning period as the Duchess had not been a working royal since 2002, although it is expected there will be those who wish to pay tribute.
Royal engagements are likely to continue, although households will consider the ‘format and tone’ of engagements during this period.
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