Prince William will represent King Charles III at the funeral of Pope Francis this Saturday.
The Prince of Wales will join world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump and France's President Emmanuel Macron at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the <em>BBC</em> <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg41ed60gp5o"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a>.
The British state broadcaster notes that the King has spoken of the "devastating loss" due to the death of the Pope, and praised his compassion in a statement issued by the Palace; flags were flown at half mast on royal residences following news of the Pope's death at the age of 88 following a stroke and heart failure.
In another sign of respect for Pope Francis, the King wore a black tie when he met the New Zealand prime minister in Windsor Castle on Tuesday, 22 April.
Downing Street also confirmed that the UK prime minister would attend the Pope's funeral, the <em>BBC</em> reports.
Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer would attend, his spokesperson said the prime minister had paid tribute to the Pope's leadership "in a complex and challenging time", noting that it was "right, like other world leaders, that [the prime minister] pays tribute to his life and attends his funeral".
King Charles and Queen Camilla were invited to an <a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/king-and-queen-get-surprise-audience-with-pope-francis/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">unexpected private meeting with Pope Francis</mark></a> at the Vatican, shortly before the pontiff's death.
The transfer of the coffin containing the body of Pope Francis from the chapel of Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican occurred on the morning of Wednesday, 23 April.
After its arrival in the basilica, the papal Camerlegno, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who governs the Church during the <em>sede vecante</em> until a new pope is elected, presided over the Liturgy of the Word. The Pope’s body will lie in state for the remainder of the week.
Pope Francis’s funeral will be held Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m., Rome local time, in St. Peter’s Square. It will be presided over by Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
In addition to faithful from around the world being drawn to the event, his funeral Mass is expected to be attended by more than a hundred dignitaries and heads of state from around the world.<br><br>The attendance at the funeral by Prince William may cause some comment based on the fact that, as Gavin Ashenden <a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/is-the-soul-of-king-charles-a-prisoner-of-the-british-monarchy-and-its-link-to-anglicanism/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">described</mark></a> in a previous <em>CH</em> article, the Prince of Wales "has been very honest about the way in which he has talked about his absence of belief in God".
Keir Starmer has spoken openly about his atheism and is the <a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/should-catholics-worry-about-having-an-atheist-prime-minister/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">first avowed atheist to serve as UK Prime Minister</mark></a>.
<em>Photo: Prince William, Prince of Wales, follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it leaves Westminster Abbey during the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, England, 19 September 2022. (Photo by James Manning- WPA Pool/Getty Images.)</em>
