Kensington Palace confirmed on Tuesday that King Charles III will not attend the funeral of Pope Francis, despite the close and respectful relationship he shared with the late pontiff.
Instead, the Prince of Wales will represent His Majesty at the funeral service in Vatican City on Saturday. The decision aligns with modern royal protocol and follows the precedent set by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who, as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, never attended the funeral of a Roman Catholic Pope.
In 2005, then-Prince Charles attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. At the time, he delayed his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles (now Queen Camilla) by a day in order to pay his respects.
Prince William’s attendance marks the first time he will represent the monarch at an international funeral, signifying a major step in his evolving role as a global statesman and future King.
King Charles met Pope Francis just 12 days before the pontiff's death on Easter Monday, following a stroke. The meeting in Italy was described as warm and marked by mutual respect. In the days after Francis' passing, the King paid tribute to the Pope’s “compassion and tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith.”
Kensington Palace stated that Prince William’s attendance was decided in consultation with the UK Government.
