Queen Camilla Misses Duchess of Kent’s Funeral Due to Illness Ahead of Trump’s UK Visit

 

Queen Camilla was unable to attend the funeral of the Duchess of Kent on Tuesday after falling ill, while King Charles and other members of the royal family gathered to bid farewell. The service was notable for being the first Catholic requiem mass for a royal family member in modern times.

 

Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to the Duchess, who converted to Catholicism in 1994, praising her “legacy of Christian goodness” in a message shared during the ceremony.

 

Buckingham Palace announced shortly before the service that the Queen would not be present. “With great regret, Her Majesty The Queen has withdrawn from attendance at this afternoon’s Requiem Mass for The Duchess of Kent as she is recovering from acute sinusitis,” a palace spokesperson said, according to AFP. Camilla, 78, is expected to join King Charles III for official engagements during US President Donald Trump’s state visit later this week.

 

The requiem mass was held at Westminster Cathedral, where Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, were among those attending. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York, were also present.

 

Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, passed away on September 5 at the age of 92. Known for her close connection to Wimbledon and her discreet work as a music teacher, she was also a pianist, organist, and singer. She married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1961. The Duke, now 89, is a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II and remains an active member of the royal family.