Buckingham Palace has announced the funeral and burial arrangements for the Duchess of Kent following her death last week at the age of 92. The service will be held at the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral and will be attended by multiple members of the royal family.
“The Funeral of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday, 16th September at 1400hrs BST,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “Ahead of the Funeral, The Duchess of Kent’s coffin will rest in the private chapel at Kensington Palace.”
On the eve of the funeral, the coffin will be taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral where there will be a service attended only by immediate family. “On the afternoon of Tuesday, 16th September, Their Majesties The King and Queen and Members of the Royal Family will join The Duke of Kent and members of The Duchess’s family at the Requiem Mass for The Duchess of Kent,” Buckingham Palace said.
The Duchess of Kent, Katharine, will be buried in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor. This is where several extended members of the royal family are buried as well as the former King Edward VIII and his wife Wallis Simpson.
The Duchess of Kent converted to Catholicism in 1994, the first royal to do so since 1685. It was her wish to have her funeral at Westminster Cathedral, which is the mother church for Catholics in England and Wales. The service will be the first royal funeral at Westminster Cathedral since its construction in 1903 and will mark the first royal Catholic funeral in modern history. The Requiem Mass will be conducted by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.
While the Duchess had long stepped back from royal duties, representatives from her charities and military affiliations will be present at next week’s service. She had taught music at a primary school in the north of England since 1996 and founded charity Future Talent to give more children access to a musical education.
Members of the royal family have been wearing black to official engagements since the Duchess died while royal mourning takes place. Buckingham Palace has yet to confirm attendance at the funeral other than by the King and Queen, but it is expected that all senior royals will be present. Prince Harry is in the UK this week carrying out charity engagements and it is not yet known if he will remain in the country for long enough to attend.
Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures, released in 2021.
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