Pope Leo XIV has paid a personal tribute to the Duchess of Kent, praising her “legacy of Christian goodness” in a message delivered during her funeral.
The pontiff highlighted her “dedication to official duties” as the King, Prince and Princess of Wales and other senior royals gathered with her immediate family and friends for her requiem mass, a Catholic funeral.
Missing was the Queen, who pulled out of attending as she is recovering from acute sinusitis, but remains hopeful of being able to attend the royal elements of US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK which begins on Wednesday.
The disgraced Duke of York made a rare appearance outside the environs of Windsor, with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York.
His public career was effectively ended by his friendship with American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as was the post of former UK ambassador to the US Lord Peter Mandelson.
At the end of the funeral Andrew tried to exchange words with William as they stood on the cathedral steps, but while the King replied to his brother when they briefly met, William stared straight ahead and only very faintly nodded his head in response.
The requiem mass is the first Catholic funeral to be held for a member of the royal family in modern British history.
The pontiff’s message was read by Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, the apostolic nuncio or diplomatic representative in the UK of the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church.
He said: “I was saddened to learn of the death of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and I send heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness, to Your Majesty, the members of the royal family, and especially to her husband, the Duke of Kent, and their children and grandchildren at this time of sorrow.
“Entrusting her noble soul to the mercy of our Heavenly Father, I readily associate myself with all those offering thanksgiving to Almighty God for the duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society.
“To all who mourn her loss, in the sure hope of the resurrection, I willingly impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of consolation and peace in the Risen Lord.”
Moments before the requiem mass began the duchess’s immediate family arrived, led by her daughter Lady Helen Taylor, walking arm in arm along the nave with her father the Duke of Kent.
Behind them were her siblings, Lord Nicholas Windsor and George, Earl of St Andrews, and the duchess’s many grandchildren.
Andrew and Sarah sat at the end of a row with the Duchess of Edinburgh in the middle and the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence at the other.
Across the aisle Kate was dressed in black, like all the mourners, and she wore a four-strand pearl and diamond choker necklace which belonged to Queen Elizabeth II, the same piece she wore at the late Queen’s funeral in 2022.
Among those attending the funeral were former Formula One world champion Sir Jackie Stewart and actresses Rula Lenska and Dame Maureen Lipman.
Katharine, the wife of the late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on the evening of September 4, aged 92.
A devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith, the duchess became the first member of the royal family to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years, doing so in 1994, and it was her wish to have her funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
The duchess was known for consoling losing Wimbledon finalists, notably a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993, and presented trophies at the championships for many years.
She preferred to be known as Mrs Kent and dropped her HRH style, retreating from royal life to spend more than a decade secretly teaching music in a state primary school in Hull.
Bishop James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, gave an uplifting homily highlighting the duchess’s varied public life, from training to work with the Samaritans, visiting Lourdes, or co-founding the music charity for young people Future Talent.
He also explained her dedication to a children’s hospice, quoting the duchess as saying “I have learnt that tears and smiles walk side by side.”
The bishop added: “Mrs Kent loved teaching children, knowing that a classroom is full of learners. Too often young minds, and ours, are solely defined by hurts, wounds and disappointments.
“With Future Talent Mrs Kent wanted those young persons to have the opportunity to be defined by (the) gift, potential and promise they possessed and to give them the opportunity to flourish.
“And who could forget that Wimbledon moment in the ladies’ final with Jana Novotna. When questioned by the press about the embrace, Katharine simply said ‘we are human you know, it’s what you do when someone needs comfort’.”
After the requiem mass the senior royals and the duchess’s family stood on the cathedral steps to watch her coffin being placed into a hearse for its final journey to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor.
