Duchess of Kent's Funeral to Be Held at Westminster Cathedral on September 16

The funeral of the Duchess of Kent, Katharine, is scheduled for September 16 at Westminster Cathedral, as announced by Buckingham Palace. The King and Queen, along with other senior members of the Royal Family, are expected to attend.

The Duchess, who passed away at the age of 92, was known for her dedication to music and education. She taught music at a primary school in Hull and founded the charity Future Talent to support young musicians from low-income backgrounds.

A devout Catholic, the Duchess converted to Catholicism in 1994, becoming the first member of the British royal family to do so since King Charles II. Her funeral will be a Requiem Mass, marking the first royal Catholic funeral in the UK in modern history.

The service will be private, with the coffin remaining in the chapel at Kensington Palace until the evening before the funeral. After the service, the Duchess will be interred at the Royal Burial Ground in Frogmore, Windsor.

The Prince and Princess of Wales described her as a "much missed member of the family" who had "worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the Duchess "brought compassion, dignity and a human touch to everything she did."

The Duchess was also a familiar figure at the Wimbledon tennis championships, where she presented trophies and consoled players, notably comforting a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993.

In her later years, she stepped back from public life to focus on her passion for music and education, leaving a lasting legacy through her charitable work and personal dedication.