Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondent
PA Media
King Charles and other senior royals have joined friends and family to remember Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, whose funeral is being held at Westminster Cathedral.
But Queen Camilla sent her “deep regrets” at having to miss the service because she was recovering from acute sinusitis.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, among those who have paid warm tributes to the widely-respected, music-loving duchess, have joined mourners at the Requiem Mass, alongside the Duke of Kent and their three children.
This is the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family in modern times – and a message from Pope Leo was read out during the service.
PA Media
The Prince and Princess of Wales were greeted at Westminster Cathedral
PA Media
The Duke of Kent at the funeral of his wife Katharine
The Pope’s message praised the duchess for her “dedication to official duties, patronage of charities and devoted care for vulnerable people” and sent his “heartfelt condolences, together with the assurance of my prayerful closeness” to the King, the Duke of Kent and their family.
Queen Camilla’s absence because of ill health was announced by the palace ahead of the funeral.
“Her thoughts and prayers will be with the Duke of Kent and all the family,” said a statement from Buckingham Palace.
But the palace said that despite this painful inflammation of the sinuses, the Queen still plans to take part in the state visit of President Trump, who will be in Windsor on Wednesday.
PA Media
The flowers on top of the coffin included white roses as an emblem of Yorkshire
Crowds gathered outside the Byzantine-style church in Westminster on Tuesday afternoon as the family and friends of the duchess arrived for the funeral, which was a private service.
Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence and Prince Andrew with his former wife Sarah Ferguson were among the royals attending. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh was at the funeral, but her husband Prince Edward is on an overseas visit.
There were also famous faces such as actresses Maureen Lipman and Rula Lenska and champion racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart.
Readings at the service were given by the children and grandchildren of the duchess.
PA Media
Prince Andrew is attending with his former wife Sarah Ferguson
The coffin of the duchess rested in front of the cathedral’s altar during the Requiem Mass, draped in the royal standard and with white roses among the flowers, in honour of the duchess’ Yorkshire roots.
The duchess was the oldest member of the Royal Family when she died earlier this month at the age of 92. She was married to the first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
PA Media
The duchess had been a great supporter of music and tennis
Reuters
Mourners gathered inside Westminster Cathedral
There have been many memories of her kindness and her dedication to charities.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who presided over the funeral service, has spoken of how the duchess often volunteered at the Passage charity for the homeless, which is based next door to the cathedral.
Speaking ahead of the funeral, he remembered her as a “very down to earth person” who had helped in the kitchen and with cleaning at the charity.
“So as well as combining royal duties, she entered very wholeheartedly into serving people,” Cardinal Nichols told the BBC.
This is a historic moment in terms of being a royal Catholic funeral, but the Cardinal said it should be seen primarily as a “family funeral where the members of the family gather round”.
“One of their oldest members has died. A woman who was greatly loved within that family and also, as we’ve seen, by much of the public,” said Cardinal Nichols.
PA Media
Queen Camilla, who is 78, is unwell and not able to attend the funeral at Westminster Cathedral
PA Media
Actresses Rula Lenska and Maureen Lipman attended the funeral
The duchess had a deep love of music and had worked as a primary school music teacher, calling herself Mrs Kent, with the pupils not knowing anything about her royal life.
Music at the funeral includes Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart, which was selected by the duchess as her favourite piece when she was a guest on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in 1990.
A piper is also playing the lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep, which was played at the funeral of the late Queen, which was three years ago this week.
There will also be music by JS Bach and from the requiem by French composer Maurice Durufle.
The duchess will also be remembered as a familiar figure at the Wimbledon tennis championships, where she handed over trophies – and consoled those who had lost, including a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993.
After the funeral at Westminster Cathedral, the coffin will be taken to the royal burial ground in Frogmore, on the Windsor estate.
