Members of the Duchess of Kent’s family, including several of her grandchildren, attended a private vigil at Westminster Cathedral on Monday as the duchess’s coffin was brought from Kensington Palace ahead of a requiem mass scheduled for Tuesday.
The coffin, draped with the royal standard edged in white to denote the duchess’s status, left Kensington Palace shortly before 5 p.m. and was escorted to the cathedral by a police convoy. A lone piper from the Royal Dragoon Guards, of which the duchess had been deputy Colonel-in-Chief since 1992, led the procession as the hearse departed the royal residence. Service personnel from the regiment formed the bearer party for the short transfer to the cathedral, where family and close friends had gathered privately.
Those seen at the vigil included Lady Amelia Windsor, who arrived dressed in black alongside her sister Lady Marina Windsor and cousins from the Taylor and Windsor families. The duchess’s grandchildren were photographed standing outside the cathedral and travelling together in a minibus to the service. Several grandchildren have posted tributes on social media since the duchess’s death on Sept. 4; Lady Amelia shared a monochrome photograph of her grandmother with a red heart, and Lady Marina posted a string of images and a message expressing gratitude and love.
Katharine, Duchess of Kent, 92, died at Kensington Palace on Sept. 4 after a period of ill health. Buckingham Palace said she died "peacefully" at home surrounded by family. Her coffin had rested in the private chapel at Kensington Palace in the days following her death to allow relatives to pay their respects.
The rites held Monday evening at Westminster Cathedral comprised the Vigil for the Deceased and the Rite of Reception, including the sprinkling of holy water, followed by evening prayers (Vespers) led by Bishop James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of Ramsbury. The requiem mass, a Catholic funeral, is set to take place on Tuesday and is expected to be attended by the King, the Queen and other senior members of the royal family.
The duchess converted to Roman Catholicism in 1992, with the permission of Queen Elizabeth II, and subsequently stepped back from full-time royal duties. She had been a prominent supporter of music education, founding the charity Future Talent and working previously as a music teacher. Her conversion made her one of the most senior members of the royal family to adopt Catholicism in recent decades.
Katharine is survived by her husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and their three children: Lady Helen Taylor, George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, and Lord Nicholas Windsor. Her grandchildren present at the vigil include Columbus Taylor, Cassius Taylor, Eloise Taylor, Estella Taylor, Edward Windsor, Lady Marina Windsor and Lady Amelia Windsor, among others.
The private vigil and the planned requiem mass follow longstanding practice for royal funerals in which immediate family members hold private services before larger ceremonial events. The duchess’s funeral rites mark a departure from the predominantly Anglican services historically associated with the royal household and reflect her personal faith and the rites of the Roman Catholic Church.
Officials said the family appreciated the messages of condolence received since the duchess’s death and asked for privacy as they prepare for the public requiem and subsequent commemorations. The Duke of Kent is now the oldest living member of the royal family following his wife’s death.