Prince William will attend the funeral for Pope Francis on behalf of King Charles, Kensington Palace said as the Vatican gets ready for the event.
According to circulating reports, King Charles is not allowed to attend the funeral, which is scheduled on Saturday, April 26.
Among the many world leaders who will be representing his father are French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump, and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Pope Francis Leaves a Sombre Legacy at Age 88 At the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica, Prince William will be present at the late Bishop of Rome’s funeral. There, the Pope’s body is now resting in state, and thousands of mourners have come to offer their last respects.
King Charles, even if he wanted to, is unable to attend, according to royal analyst Katie Nicholl.
Longstanding convention will prevent the British queen from visiting the Vatican. Katie Nicholl of Vanity Fair claims that as a matter of royal “protocol and precedence,” “the Sovereign does not attend funerals.”
In order to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, Charles had to postpone his wedding.
In order to honour Queen Elizabeth II, he went in her place back then, postponing his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles, who is now Queen Camilla. According to royal historian Rory Cormac, the custom of monarchs not attending funerals has probably developed into the standard over time.
Not only did the Queen send a representative to attend the state funerals of US presidents, but she also skipped other papal funerals. This is not a slight against Catholicism. She was pregnant at JFK’s funeral early in her reign, and Prince Philip took her place. I’m not sure when or how it began,” Rory wrote in an email to Bored Panda.
According to Cormac, co-author of The Secret Royals: Spying and the Crown from Victoria to Diana, “it’s difficult to attend others after you’ve been to one.”
Prince William’s role has been interpreted by some as symbolic.
International relations and clandestine statecraft expert Rory Cormac stressed that Prince William’s presence is a component of his duties as the heir apparent.
“Therefore, we cannot infer anything about William’s personal beliefs or his role as a future king from his attendance, which only signifies him representing his father,” he clarified.
The announcement received a range of responses online. “Why is he not permitted? Is it Camilla?” jokingly said one person. “It’s better that William represents the country,” said another.
“Wow…representing is awesome..you deserve it..your mother would be so proud,” wrote one of the more sentimental ones. Another said, “He’s the best candidate for the position!!!!” “That will be an important moment—Prince William representing the King at such a historic and solemn occasion,” mentioned one individual.
Just before his death, Pope Francis met with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Because of the Pope’s deteriorating health, the royal couple’s previous April state visit to the Vatican was cancelled. However, they were able to pay him a secret visit on April 9th, which was also their 20th wedding anniversary, while on a personal trip to Italy.
King Charles sent a profound statement of sorrow after the Pope’s passing. According to him, the Queen and he were “most deeply saddened” and would look back on their interactions with him “with particular affection.” “To have been able to visit him earlier this month was a great blessing,” he continued.
Despite his potential to lead the Church of England in the future, Prince William holds a different faith than his predecessors.
Despite being the heir apparent to King Charles as head of the Church of England, Prince William is not particularly religious. Neither his father nor his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, were ardent Christians, according to insiders.
William is described as a “modern young man” who frequently feels uncomfortable with “certain aspects of ceremonial and religion” in Robert Hardman’s biography Charles III. “Until now, William had not shared his father’s interest in faith and spiritualism, nor the late Queen’s strong devotion to the Anglican Communion,” according to Hardman.
William would “not suddenly become a regular worshipper or feign an enthusiasm for something that he does not feel personally, however bleak the situation,” the biographer continued, despite the health issues that King Charles and his wife Kate Middleton had endured in the last year.
“The Princess, on the other hand, is said to have become rather more interested in questions of faith as a result of her condition,” he explained.
