Queen Camilla was absent from the funeral of the Duchess of Kent, citing illness as the reason for her withdrawal. The ceremony, notable as the first modern Catholic funeral for a British royal, saw King Charles and other family members paying their respects. Pope Leo XIV honored the duchess’s legacy of Christian devotion during the requiem mass. Buckingham Palace announced the queen’s absence just hours before the funeral, coinciding with the arrival of US President Donald Trump for a state visit.
