The Duchess of Kent’s funeral will happen at Westminster Cathedral on 16 September, and the Catholic provider will make royal historical past. It’ll be the primary Catholic funeral staged for a member of the royal circle of relatives in fashionable instances. Katharine Worsley, who died elderly 92 on 4 September, turned into the primary royal to transform to Catholicism for greater than 300 years, doing so in 1994, and it was once her want to have her funeral at Westminster Cathedral.
Charles II was once the remaining royal to transform to Catholicism upon his deathbed in 1685, in line with the Catholic Usher in. Then again, he had an Anglican funeral, which was once a subdued affair, because of his conversion. In some other vital transfer, the King, head of the Church of England, will attend, along the Queen and different family members. Up till 2015, participants of the royal circle of relatives weren’t allowed to marry Roman Catholics. The Succession to the Crown Act (2013) ended the provisions during which those that marry Roman Catholics are disqualified from the road of succession.
How a brand new Act modified a royal rule
The Duchess of Kent’s brother-in-law, Prince Michael of Kent, forfeited his position within the line of succession thru his marriage to Marie-Christine von Reibnitz (now Princess Michael of Kent), who was once born a Roman Catholic. This was once right down to the Act of Agreement 1701, which was once designed to protected the Protestant succession to the throne.
Then again, with the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 getting into pressure in March 2015, Prince Michael was once reinstated to the road of succession, and he’s recently 53rd. Then again, the Act got rid of the ban on people who marry Roman Catholics, despite the fact that no longer on Roman Catholics themselves, for the reason that monarch is Splendid Governor of the Church of England.
© GettyThe Duchess of Kent’s son, Lord Nicholas Windsor, transformed to Catholicism in 2001, subsequently forfeiting his proper to be integrated within the line of succession. Two of Katharine’s grandchildren, Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick and Woman Marina Windsor, had been additionally excluded from the road of succession after changing to the religion.
Funeral main points
Buckingham Palace stated the Duchess’ coffin will likely be taken through hearse to Westminster Cathedral on Monday – the day prior to the funeral – the place it is going to leisure in a single day within the Woman Chapel. After the non-public provider, the coffin will likely be taken through hearse to the Royal Burial Flooring at Frogmore, Windsor. The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster will lead the Requiem Mass on the provider. Along with the Cathedral Clergy, the Dean of Windsor will take part within the Mass prior to accompanying the coffin to Frogmore.
