King arrives but ill Queen Camilla misses Duchess of Kent’s funeral

Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondentPA MediaKing Charles joined mourners on the funeral of the Duchess of KentKing Charles and different senior royals have arrived on the funeral of Katharine, the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral.However Queen Camilla despatched her “deep regrets” at having to overlook the service as a result of she was recovering from acute sinusitis.The Prince and Princess of Wales, who had paid heat tributes to the music-loving duchess, are among the many mourners on the Requiem Mass, alongside the Duke of Kent and their three youngsters.That is the primary Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Household in trendy occasions – and a message from Pope Leo has been learn out throughout the service.PA MediaThe Prince and Princess of Wales had been greeted at Westminster CathedralThe Queen’s well being downside was introduced by the palace forward of the funeral.”Her ideas and prayers will probably be with the Duke of Kent and all of the household,” mentioned an announcement from Buckingham Palace.However the palace mentioned that regardless of this painful irritation of the sinuses, the Queen nonetheless plans to participate within the state go to of President Trump, who will probably be in Windsor on Wednesday.Crowds gathered exterior the Byzantine-style church in Westminster because the household and pals of the duchess arrived for the funeral, which is a personal service.Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence and Prince Andrew along with his former spouse Sarah Ferguson had been among the many royals attending. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh was additionally among the many mourners.PA MediaQueen Camilla, who’s 78, is unwell and never capable of attend the funeral at Westminster CathedralThe coffin of the duchess was delivered to the cathedral on Monday, draped within the royal commonplace and with white roses among the many flowers, in honour of the duchess’ Yorkshire roots.The duchess was the oldest member of the Royal Household when she died earlier this month on the age of 92. She was married to the primary cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.PA MediaThe duchess had been an incredible supporter of music and tennisThere have been many recollections of her kindness and her dedication to charities.Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who will preside over the funeral service, has spoken of how the duchess usually volunteered on the Passage charity for the homeless, which relies subsequent door to the cathedral.Talking forward of the funeral, he remembered her as a “very right down to earth individual” who had helped within the kitchen and with cleansing on the charity.”So in addition to combining royal duties, she entered very wholeheartedly into serving folks,” Cardinal Nichols instructed the BBC.It is a historic second by way of being a royal Catholic funeral, however the Cardinal mentioned it ought to be seen primarily as a “household funeral the place the family members collect spherical”. “Considered one of their oldest members has died. A girl who was enormously liked inside that household and likewise, as we have seen, by a lot of the general public,” mentioned Cardinal Nichols.PA MediaPrince Andrew was amoung the mourners on the funeral in WestminsterThe duchess had a deep love of music and had labored as a major college music trainer, calling herself Mrs Kent, with the pupils not realizing something about her royal life.Music on the funeral will embrace Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart, which was chosen by the duchess as her favorite piece when she was a visitor on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in 1990.A piper will play the lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep, which was performed on the funeral of the late Queen, which was three years in the past this week.There may also be music by JS Bach and from the requiem by French composer Maurice Durufle.The duchess may also be remembered as a well-recognized determine on the Wimbledon tennis championships, the place she handed over trophies – and consoled those that had misplaced, together with a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993.After the funeral at Westminster Cathedral, the coffin will probably be taken to the royal burial floor in Frogmore, on the Windsor property.