The British Royal Family is preparing for a funeral unlike any in modern royal history. Katharine, Duchess of Kent, who died peacefully at age 92 on September 4, 2025 at Kensington Palace, will receive a Catholic Requiem Mass on September 16. This service will mark the first royal Catholic funeral in the United Kingdom in modern history.
Katharine Worsley married Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1961 at York Minster. Despite her royal status, she later chose to drop her HRH style, preferring to be known as Mrs. Kent, and spent 13 years teaching music at a primary school.
The Duchess converted to Roman Catholicism in 1994, becoming the first senior member of the British Royal Family to embrace the faith in more than 300 years. Her final farewell will honor that conversion in an unprecedented way for the monarchy.
The Service Details
Buckingham Palace has confirmed arrangements that break from centuries of Anglican protocol. The Duchess’s coffin will rest in the private chapel at Kensington Palace before being transferred to Westminster Cathedral on the evening of September 15. This cathedral was the Duchess’s personal choice for the funeral location.
The Rite of Reception and Vespers—traditional Catholic ceremonies where the coffin is blessed with holy water and evening prayers are offered—will be observed that evening, followed by an overnight vigil in the Lady Chapel. The formal Requiem Mass will begin at 2 p.m. on September 16. The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster will conduct the service, while Bishop James Curry will oversee the preliminary rites. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will lead royal attendance, joining the Duke of Kent and the Duchess’s family.
Unlike many royal funerals, this service will be private rather than televised, attended primarily by family, close friends, and representatives from the Duchess’s charitable organizations. Following the service, she will be laid to rest at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, Windsor.
Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she oversees the brand’s social media platforms and writes the monthly ELLE Decoroscope column. She covers design trends, pop culture, and lifestyle through storytelling to explore how our homes reflect who we are. Her work has also appeared in Inked magazine, House Beautiful, Marie Claire, and more.