The private Requiem Mass held at Westminster Cathedral marked the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family in modern times
Newsroom (17/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) King Charles and senior members of the Royal Family joined friends and family to honor Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, at a poignant Requiem Mass held at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday. The private service marked the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family in modern times, reflecting the duchess’s deep faith and her widely admired dedication to charity.
Queen Camilla, absent due to recovery from acute sinusitis, sent her “deep regrets” for missing the service. The Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence, Prince Andrew with his former wife Sarah Ferguson, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, were among the royals in attendance. Prince Edward was unable to attend due to an overseas commitment. The Duke of Kent and his three children were also present, joined by mourners who filled the Byzantine-style cathedral to pay their respects.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who presided over the service, highlighted the duchess’s humility and service, noting her volunteer work at the Passage, a homelessness charity adjacent to the cathedral. “She was a very down-to-earth person,” Cardinal Nichols told the BBC. “She helped in the kitchen and with cleaning, combining royal duties with wholeheartedly serving others.” He described the funeral as a “family gathering” to honor a beloved figure, emphasizing her legacy of compassion over the historic nature of the Catholic service.
A message from Pope Leo, read during the service, offered condolences and praised the duchess’s “legacy of Christian goodness.” The pontiff extended his apostolic blessing, expressing hope in the Resurrection for those mourning her loss. Readings were delivered by the duchess’s children and grandchildren, adding a personal touch to the ceremony.
Music, a lifelong passion of the duchess, played a central role. The choir and organist of Westminster Cathedral performed Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem and Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus, a piece the duchess chose as her favorite on BBC’s Desert Island Discs in 1990. A piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards, where the duchess served as Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, played the lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep, echoing its use at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022. The lament accompanied a procession from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary past the coffin and down the cathedral’s central aisle. Music by J.S. Bach also featured, underscoring the duchess’s love for classical works.
The coffin bore a wreath of British garden flowers, carefully chosen by the family to reflect the duchess’s life and heritage. White roses symbolized her Yorkshire roots, while rosemary signified remembrance, oak leaves strength, and seasonal September flowers a farewell. Achillea and jasmine represented healing and amiability, respectively, with sprigs of yew from Hovingham Hall, the Worsley family estate, symbolizing eternal life.
Crowds gathered outside the cathedral, a testament to the duchess’s widespread respect. Her decades of service, patronage of charities, and care for society’s vulnerable left an indelible mark. As Cardinal Nichols noted, the funeral was not only a historic moment but a deeply personal farewell to a woman cherished by her family and admired by the public.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from www.royal.uk
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