Funeral of HRH The Duchess of Kent

 The funeral of HRH The Duchess of Kent will take place at Westminster Cathedral on 16 September, 2025, at 2pm, it has been announced. Ahead of the funeral, The Duchess of Kent’s coffin will rest in the private chapel at Kensington Palace.

A statement released by Buckingham Palace read: "Her Royal Highness’s coffin will be taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral on September 15 where the Rite of Reception and Vespers will take place, on the eve of the Requiem Mass. Thereafter it will rest overnight in the Lady Chapel."

It further added that funeral attendees would include "Their Majesties The King and Queen and Members of the Royal Family" joining The The Duke of Kent and members of The Duchess’s family at the Requiem Mass for The Duchess of Kent.

Afterwards, the coffin will be taken by hearse to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor.

The King will become the first monarch in over 400 years to officially attend a Catholic funeral in Britain, following the death of the Duchess of Kent.

The Duchess of Kent, who died on Thursday September 4, aged 92, converted to Catholicism in 1994 - and was the first senior member of the Royal Family to convert to Roman Catholicism in many years. Several granddaughters of Queen Victoria were received into the Roman Catholic faith, including Princess Ena of Battenberg, who converted in 1906 to marry Alfonso XIII, King of Spain, and she became Queen Victoria Eugenie.

King Charles II converted to Rome on his deathbed in 1685.

The Duke of Kent, Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin and now the oldest member of the Royal family at 89. He will celebrate his 90th birthday in October.

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