Queen Camilla has regretfully withdrawn from attending the Requiem Mass for The Duchess of Kent this afternoon, Buckingham Palace has announced. The Queen is currently recovering from acute sinusitis. Camilla had been scheduled to join King Charles and other members of the Royal Family at Westminster Cathedral in London to pay their respects to the Duchess, who passed away peacefully at home on the evening of September 4, aged 92. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson conveyed Camilla's sentiments, stating, "With great regret, Her Majesty The Queen has withdrawn from attendance at this afternoon's Requiem Mass for The Duchess of Kent as she is recovering from acute sinusitis. Her thoughts and prayers will be with The Duke of Kent and all the family."

The Duke of Kent has been informed of Camilla's decision and is said to fully understand, sending his best wishes for a speedy recovery. Queen Camilla, 78, travelled from Scotland this morning and is now en route to Windsor to rest. She reportedly hopes to recover sufficiently to attend all elements of US President Donald Trump's state visit scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

In contrast to Camilla's absence, Kensington Palace confirmed that The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, would attend the service alongside King Charles. The Catholic funeral, a requiem mass, marks a significant moment in modern British history as it is the first to be held for a member of the monarchy. The service takes place at Westminster Cathedral, with the Duchess's coffin having been transported last night from her Kensington Palace residence to rest in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Close family members, including her widower, the Duke of Kent, and their daughter Lady Helen Taylor, were greeted by the Dean of Westminster Cathedral Father Slawomir Witon upon the coffin's arrival. Soldiers from the Royal Dragoon Guards carefully carried the coffin, which is a wicker structure crafted from English willow, draped in the Royal Standard featuring a white ermine border signifying her status as a prince's spouse. A large wreath of British garden flowers, handpicked by the Duchess's family, adorns the coffin. This wreath includes white roses, symbolising Yorkshire where she was born, and sprigs of yew from Hovingham Hall, her childhood home, representing eternal life.

Today's funeral service will feature a poignant Scottish bagpipe lament titled "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep," which was also performed at the late Queen Elizabeth's funeral nearly three years ago. A piper from The Royal Dragoon Guards will play the lament while processing from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, past the Duchess's coffin in the Nave, and down the cathedral's central aisle. Soldiers from The Royal Dragoon Guards have played a significant role throughout the funeral proceedings, which traditionally span over two days, leading the procession and carrying the coffin.

Following her passing, William and Kate paid tribute to the Duchess in a heartfelt message: "Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas. The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family. W and C." King Charles and Queen Camilla also expressed their respects via social media, remembering her "life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people."

Born Katharine Worsley in Yorkshire in 1933, and raised at Hovingham Hall near York, the Duchess of Kent's life was marked by both public duty and personal dedication. She first encountered the Duke of Kent in 1956, when he was serving with the Royal Scots Greys in Catterick Garrison. Five years later, they announced their engagement and were married in June 1961 at York Minster, a departure from the traditional Westminster Abbey, which she chose as a "Yorkshire lass." Together, they had three children: George, Earl of St Andrews, Lady Helen Taylor, and Lord Nicholas Windsor, and immersed themselves in public duties, representing the late Queen both domestically and internationally.

The Duchess became most recognized for presenting trophies at Wimbledon, famously consoling a tearful Jana Novotna after her defeat in the 1993 ladies' singles final by Steffi Graf. In her personal life, the 1970s brought immense sorrow; she was forced to terminate a pregnancy in 1975 after contracting rubella and tragically gave birth to a stillborn son named Patrick just two years later.

In 2002, she made the significant decision to withdraw from royal duties, relinquishing her HRH title. She dedicated her time to teaching music discreetly at a state school in Hull, where she was known simply as Mrs Kent. Her public appearances became rare in recent years, though she was present at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. Her last public appearance was in October of last year, at an event celebrating her husband's 89th birthday outside their Kensington Palace residence, Wren House, featuring a bagpipe rendition of Happy Birthday.

It is worth noting that King Charles will not be the first monarch to attend a Catholic funeral; Queen Elizabeth II attended the state funeral of King Baudouin of the Belgians in 1993. Furthermore, Charles, as Prince of Wales, attended Pope John Paul II's funeral in 2005, and his son William was present at Pope Francis' funeral mass earlier this year.