She was a ‘down-to-earth Yorkshire woman who knew how to serve and be part of the Royal Family, without ever losing that care for people who were worse off and in difficulties’.
There were few more perfectly succinct tributes to the Duchess of Kent at a beautifully simple, yet deeply moving, Requiem Mass to mark her extraordinary life at Westminster Cathedral in London yesterday.
Speaking after the service, the first royal Catholic funeral for what is believed to be 300 years, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, also said guests were moved by both ‘the quietness – and the grandeur’ of the occasion, which was attended by almost every senior member of the Royal Family.
The turnout was symbolic of how Katharine – or ‘Mrs Kent’ as the duchess preferred to be known – was adored and admired by the senior royals.
But it was clear from the body language afterwards that some of the family tensions could not be papered over in the interests of public unity, not least the appearance of the shamed Duke of York.
Indeed, a whole smorgasbord of strain was on display, inevitably given that this was the first time such a large gathering of the Royal Family has been seen since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.
While Prince Andrew’s appearance was expected, it was clear that some – particularly Prince William, but also his brother the King – did not want to be seen publicly talking to him.
The Duke of York lingered awkwardly in the doorway of the cathedral as the rest of the party walked ahead to say their goodbyes. At one point Sarah, Duchess of York, leant forwards to speak to Prince William, who turned briefly to talk to her, as did his wife.
Pictured: King Charles III, Prince William and Princess Catherine attend the funeral of the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral
Prince Andrew looks at Prince William while they attend Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025
But it was clear the couple were far from keen to prolong the conversation, aside from pleasantries.
Indeed, for much of the time the heir to the throne, jaw clenched, appeared decidedly uncomfortable.
At one point Prince Andrew tried jovially to engage his nephew in conversation. William glanced at him and then studiously looked forward, thin-lipped, rubbing his nose and rocking on his heels.
The Waleses made a notably quick exit after the King had got into the State Bentley, but not before His Majesty appeared to offer a few warm words to his daughter-in-law, who smiled and walked over, before kissing him on each cheek and curtsying.
As the King drove off, the Duchess of York was seen waving somewhat over-enthusiastically at his car, before also dropping a neat bob.
Prince Andrew, meanwhile, exchanged some words with his sister, Princess Anne, thanked staff and headed off towards his car.
He was forced to wait at the side of the building, fiddling with the tails of his morning coat, as his ex-wife continued to chat merrily on the steps.
Earlier, family and friends had made their way into the heart of the Catholic Church in London to celebrate the life of the duchess, who died on September 4 at the age of 92.
The Princess of Wales arriving for the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent on Tuesday
The Duchess of Kent, Katharine, attending a state banquet on April 25, 1991 in London
Many of those whose lives she had touched during her extensive charity work were also present.
Some of that work was conducted publicly as a working member of the Royal Family following her marriage to Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, grandson of King George V and cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, in 1961.
But she did more behind the scenes – particularly after she withdrew from public life in 2002 – even taking her jewels into a local children’s hospital for youngsters to play ‘dress up’ in.
Among the last to arrive was her frail husband of 64 years, the duke, now 89 and reliant on a walking stick, but determined to walk alongside their daughter, Lady Helen Taylor.
The couple had two other children, George Windsor, the Earl of St Andrews, and Lord Nicholas Windsor, plus a brood of grandchildren, all of whom were present, including model Lady Amelia Windsor.
Senior royals including the Duchess of Edinburgh (whose husband is away on a royal tour) and Princess Anne arrived separately, as well as Andrew, who was accompanied as usual by his ex-wife.
His appearance wasn’t a surprise to the waiting media – after all, the shamed Duke of York is still permitted to attend family events despite being forced to stand down from public duties over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal – but among waiting members of the public there was, apparently, an audible gasp.
The Prince and Princess of Wales attracted a quiet rumbling of approval. Catherine, 43, looked ethereal in a black pillbox hat and Queen Elizabeth’s stunning Japanese pearl and diamond necklace.
The Duke of Kent and Lady Helen Taylor leave Westminster Cathedral as they follow Duchess Katharine’s coffin
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson enter Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday, September 16, 2025
The King arrived with his principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, after Queen Camilla was forced to withdraw at the last minute after falling ill with sinusitis. She was recuperating at Windsor Castle ahead of today’s state visit by President Trump.
The duchess’s coffin, constructed from English willow, was draped in her royal standard and British garden flowers including the white rose of Yorkshire.
Appropriately for someone with such a passion for music, having worked following her departure from royal life anonymously as a teacher in a Hull primary school, the music was exquisite and included Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus. A personal message from Pope Leo paid tribute to her ‘legacy of Christian goodness’ and ‘noble soul’.
Bishop James Curry used the duchess’s own words when asked why she spent so much time talking with the patients of a children’s hospice: ‘I have learnt that tears and smiles walk side-by-side.’
Katharine’s own life had been touched by unimaginable sadness with the loss of two children. Cardinal Nichols recalled one pilgrimage on which he accompanied her to Lourdes (she became the first member of the Royal Family to convert to Catholicism since the Act of Settlement in 1701) when they sat enjoying an ice cream and chatted happily to passers-by.
As her coffin left the cathedral, it was proceeded by a piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards, of which Katharine was deputy colonel-in-chief, playing Sleep, Dearie, Sleep.
The duchess was buried yesterday afternoon in a private ceremony in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore.
