The Duchess of Kent was mourned at a requiem mass at Westminster Cathedral on Sept. 16, 2025, with King Charles III, Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family in attendance, and the Prince and Princess of Wales confirmed as present by Kensington Palace.
A private vigil took place the night before the funeral, attended by three generations of the duchess’s family. Her coffin was conveyed to the cathedral in a royal hearse and accompanied by a lone piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards, the regiment of which she had served as Deputy Colonel-in-Chief since its inception in 1992.
The requiem mass was a Catholic funeral, which commentators described as the first of its kind for a member of the monarchy in modern British history. The service included a Scottish bagpipe lament, “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep,” a piece also used at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. A piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards processed from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary past the duchess’s coffin in the nave and down the cathedral’s central aisle.
Kensington Palace confirmed that the Prince and Princess of Wales would attend the service. Other senior royals were present at the cathedral; the family held private moments of mourning before and after the public elements of the service.
The Duchess of Kent’s association with The Royal Dragoon Guards was reflected in the military elements of the funeral. The presence of the regiment’s piper and the decision to include the specific lament underlined long-standing ceremonial ties between the duchess and the armed forces.
The funeral followed established Catholic rites for a requiem mass and incorporated elements chosen by the family. The procession and musical selections were carefully staged to reflect both the duchess’s faith and her public roles, while the vigil underscored the private nature of family mourning ahead of today’s service.
Officials and royal household staff coordinated the arrangements at Westminster Cathedral to accommodate the ceremonial proceedings and security for attending royals. Details released by the palace confirmed the participation of close family members and described the event as a private service followed by limited public elements.
The duchess’s funeral marks a notable moment in the royal calendar, blending personal faith with ceremonial tradition. The service at Westminster Cathedral and the accompanying vigil closed a period of formal mourning, with the royal family attending to both public duties and private remembrance.