Duchess of Kent to receive Britain’s first modern Catholic royal funeral at Westminster Cathedral

Buckingham Palace confirmed Friday that the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, will be held at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday, marking the first Catholic funeral service for a member of the British royal family in modern history.

Palace officials said the duchess, who died peacefully at home late Thursday night surrounded by close family, will have her coffin taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral a day before the service and that it will lie in the Lady Chapel overnight. After the funeral, the coffin will be taken by hearse to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor.

The duchess was the wife of the Duke of Kent, a cousin of the late Queen. Buckingham Palace said King Charles is scheduled to attend the Westminster Cathedral service. The decision to hold a Catholic funeral at the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster represents a significant departure from the Church of England services that have traditionally marked royal funerals.

There has been public interest and speculation about which other members of the royal family will attend. Palace statements confirmed that the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, will be in Britain ahead of the funeral on separate charity commitments, but it remains unknown whether he will attend the service. The duke will not be accompanied by his wife, Meghan, or their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who will remain in Montecito, California.

The announcement provides logistical details customary for royal funerals: the movement of the coffin by hearse rather than the traditional gun carriage, the laying-in at a chapel within the cathedral, and interment at Frogmore, the long-standing burial ground for many members of the royal family. Westminster Cathedral is the principal Catholic church in England and Wales and its selection for a royal funeral underscores the duchess's Catholic faith.

In modern British constitutional practice, the monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and most royal ceremonies and funerals have followed Anglican rites. The palace's confirmation that a Catholic service will be used for the duchess is notable given that members of the royal family have historically observed the established church's traditions.

Further details on the order of service, public attendance, and official condolences were not released immediately. Buckingham Palace and the Office of the Duke of Kent are expected to provide additional information in the run-up to the funeral on Tuesday.