A poignant link to Queen Elizabeth II formed a moving part of the funeral service for The Duchess of Kent.
As the Requiem Mass came to an end at Westminster Cathedral, a lone piper walked from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, past the coffin in the Nave and along the Centre Aisle of the church playing ”Sleep, Dearie, Sleep’. The same lament was played at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.
The piper for the Duchess of Kent was taken from the Royal Dragoon Guards of which she was Deputy Colonel-in-Chief.
King Charles was joined by the Royal Family in mourning for the Duchess who died on September 4 at the age of 92.
Her husband of 64 years, the Duke of Kent, led mourners at the service with the couple’s three surviving children at his side. George, The Earl of St. Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor and Lord Nicholas Windsor accompanied their father for the final farewell on the Cathedral steps as the coffin of the Duchess of Kent was carried by a Bearer Party from the Royal Dragoon Guards to the Royal Hearse.
It was then driven to Frogmore where a private burial service took place.
The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard. The flowers on top were chosen by the Duchess’ family and included white roses as a nod to her home county of Yorkshire.
The service included Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart which was a favourite of the Duchess who loved music and who worked as a teacher after her decision to step back as a senior member of the Royal Family in the 1990s.
During the service, a letter of condolence from Pope Leo XIV was read out. The Duchess was a devout Catholic and had converted to the faith in 1994.
The Pope said ” I readily associate myself with all those offering thanksgiving to Almighty God for The Duchess’s legacy of Christian goodness, seen in her many years of dedication to official duties, patronage of charities, and devoted care for vulnerable people in society.”
The letter was addressed to King Charles, sent by one Head of State to another.
King Charles later stood on the steps of the Cathedral, with the Prince and Princess of Wales, to watch the final departure of the Royal Hearse and say farewell to the Duchess of Kent.
