Death and Funeral of The Duchess of Kent: 4 and 16 September 2025


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Thanks! Also by an Anglican Minister and Dean of Winsor between 1976 and 1989.

My apologies, as I deleted my post to which you responded, as I realized I should have posted in the thread for the Earl and Countess of Saint Andrews. Thank you for your reply and the information about the officiant!
 
I would assume that relatives on the Worsley side will also attend, but I doubt that the press will be able to identify them, so we won't know!
 
Apparently Queen Camilla won't be attending now as she is recovering from a illness
 
Yes Queen Camilla is recoverimg from acute sinusitis and has sadly had to cancel her attendance..

 
Apart from the Kents (out in full force except for Lady Nicholas!), there are Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Royal with Sir Tim (she made it!), Andrew and Sarah, Prince and Princess of Wales, and the King. No York girls. No foreign royals? There are also Penelope Mountbatten, India Hicks, Lord Snowdon, Sarah Chatto, the Gloucesters' children, Susan Hussey. The King was personally accompanied by Sir Clive Alderton, his Private Secretary.

Interesting fact: Apostolic Nunico to Great Britain will read a special message from Pope Leo XIV. This and the fact that Cardinal Nichols will preside over the mass shows how meaningful and important the Duchess' conversion and commitment was to the Catholic Church in England.

Pope Leo XIV sends his condolences

Readings at the mass by Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen, Lady Marina, Eloise Taylor, and Albert Windsor.
 
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Live from the Duchess of Kent's funeral:


King Charles III and the Prince and Princess of Wales arrive for the funeral of the Duchess of Kent. Also present were the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York.

 
As (first) cousins, they are part of the same generation as the previous Duke of Edinburgh and the late Queen herself (although long before them princess Margaret and the queen's non-royal cousins George and Gerald Lascelles passed away). The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, although the most senior in male-line, are the youngest ones.
Just a note about the generations:

Philip was a first cousin to the Duke's mother - Princess Marina so he crossed the generations as he was the same, via his father, to Marina and via his mother to the current Duke.
 
I am frankly surprised to see Andrew and Sarah instead of Beatrice/Eugene and their husbands.
 
They did well , first the close family one one side and then the King and the Royals on the other side . What a charisma for King Charles and what a lack for the Prince of Wales. Kate courtseys and kissed the King;
Sad to see Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael looking so frail.
The Duke and the Duchess of York present?. The Duke told a joke to Wiliam who did not listen.
 
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What a grand turnout for the late Duchess! The Kents in full force of course, also the Gloucester branch well-represented. All the working royals there except the Queen and Prince Edward.

The Duke of Kent looks so very frail but still bravely trooping on. So sad to see Princess Alexandra and now also Prince Michael in wheelchairs. But that’s life for you! I’m afraid we won’t see the elder Kents in public anymore, except for these sadder family occasions.

I am frankly surprised to see Andrew and Sarah instead of Beatrice/Eugene and their husbands.
Me too. They attended only for the photo opportunity, I wouldn’t be surprised!
 
Maria-Olivia, Andrew is still a member of the RF and IMO he should be permitted to attend family events. That’s all he’s got these days, including the company of Sarah. Besides, I suppose his attendance was cleared with the Kents! However he should be smart enough not to stand in line with HM, the Waleses etc.! Somebody ought to tell him that discretion would be appreciated! Obviously the Prince of Wales wasn’t impressed!
 
I’m guessing they are as she did not attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral with him either
I’m starting to think they have which is always a shame for all involved and their 3 boys.

Maria-Olivia, Andrew is still a member of the RF and IMO he should be permitted to attend family events. That’s all he’s got these days, including the company of Sarah. Besides, I suppose his attendance was cleared with the Kents! However he should be smart enough not to stand in line with HM, the Waleses etc.! Somebody ought to tell him that discretion would be appreciated! Obviously the Prince of Wales wasn’t impressed!
Agree entirely, he may not be able to officially attend engagements/state functions and have a public royal role but I think it is fair to say this is a private family event and his presence is expected
 
Me too. They attended only for the photo opportunity, I wouldn’t be surprised!

I think that's rather unfair. Andrew's known the Duchess of Kent all his life, and, as she was his mother's first cousin's wife, will have known her very well. Is he not entitled to mourn a close relative who married into the family when he was a baby?

Beatrice and Eugenie, being a generation further removed, probably did not know her as well.
 
Lady Nicholas' absence is indeed concerning; you don't miss out on your mother-in-law's funeral (nor on the queen's funeral) without a serious reason.

I think that's rather unfair. Andrew's known the Duchess of Kent all his life, and, as she was his mother's first cousin's wife, will have known her very well. Is he not entitled to mourn a close relative who married into the family when he was a baby?

Beatrice and Eugenie, being a generation further removed, probably did not know her as well.
In most families, I doubt people know all their parents' cousins and their spouses very well (maybe some of them but in larger family's definitely not all of them) - but within the royal family I guess these things are different. So yes, I fully agree that Andrew should be welcomed to attend the funeral.
 
I think that's rather unfair. Andrew's known the Duchess of Kent all his life, and, as she was his mother's first cousin's wife, will have known her very well. Is he not entitled to mourn a close relative who married into the family when he was a baby?

Beatrice and Eugenie, being a generation further removed, probably did not know her as well.

Was he really mourning and if so, why was he grinning madly?
 
However he should be smart enough not to stand in line with HM, the Waleses etc.! Somebody ought to tell him that discretion would be appreciated! Obviously the Prince of Wales wasn’t impressed!
William looked like he was wishing to be anywhere else when Andrew ended up next to him and tried to strike up conversation. Yet, a minute later, William was smiling and chatting with Sir Tim. I also loved seeing William's warm interactions with Sophie Winkleman and Lady Gabriella. They don't come nearly often enough, but I love when we get to see those types of moments between the main line and the extended royal family.
 
Andrew and Sarah looked delighted to be seen in the company of the wider family and couldn't hide their glee, even at a funeral. William looked like he couldn't shake Andrew off quick enough on the church steps.
 
I agree Andrew can't be stopped from attending the funeral of a family member. Yes I wish he would do so more discreetly and with some humility rather than putting himself front and centre as is his way, I mean even Sarah has the good grace to stay a row or two back, but then humility and understanding of public perception is one the reasons he is in the mess he is in in the first place.

William definitely seemed displeased by "finding himself" next to Andrew and seemed to find all sorts of reasons to look the other way and make conversations with those on the other side of him.

Anyway, that shouldn't detract from what today is about - remembering the life of the Duchess of Kent (or Mrs Kent as she was known when teaching). It was lovely to see the so many of the family altogether and nice that so many members of the 'working royal family' came to honour her.
 
I echo the sentiments of many others that it was a lovely thing to see the funeral so well attended by members of the wider family.
I didn’t see any photos of Princess Alexandra there but did see her son with his family as well as Zenouska and Christian Mowatt.
 
Like him or not Andrew is a member of the royal family. So within protocal, it is his place to with the other senior royals. I don't like the man, but he is certainly not the only royal seen smiling at a funeral.

Lovely to see so many family members out to pay tribute. Sad the queen was ill and unable to attend. Hopefully she is doing better soon.
 
Andrew was part of the baby boom of 1964 when he, Lady Helen , David Armstrong Jones, and James oglivy were born. There is a famous picture of all of the pregnant mothers probably taken by Anthony Armstrong Jones. So they were all cousins the same age and probably did a lot of growing up together.
Not to excuse Andrew’s rude behavior at all.
 
Andrew was part of the baby boom of 1964 when he, Lady Helen , David Armstrong Jones, and James oglivy were born. There is a famous picture of all of the pregnant mothers probably taken by Anthony Armstrong Jones. So they were all cousins the same age and probably did a lot of growing up together.
Not to excuse Andrew’s rude behavior at all.
No, Edward is the 1964 baby. Andrew is 1960.
 
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