Prince William will attend Pope Francis' funeral because King Charles is not allowed. Here's why

2025-04-24 21:11:19Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Prince William will attend Pope Francis' funeral because King Charles is
Pope Francis, King Charles and Prince William

Prince William will travel to the Vatican this week to attend Pope Francis' funeral on behalf of the British royal family. While many have questioned why King Charles will not attend the funeral, he is in fact not allowed to attend.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl told Vanity Fair that "King Charles will not travel to the Vatican, in line with protocol and tradition which dictates that the sovereign does not attend funerals, Buckingham Palace has confirmed."

This action avoids any impression of political or religious bias, especially in cases where the ceremony is associated with a religious authority such as the Pope.

This is not the first time an heir has attended a papal funeral in place of the sovereign.

In 2005, King Charles, then a prince, attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II on behalf of Queen Elizabeth.

However, King Charles visited the Pope just days before his death and released a statement after his death:

“My wife and I were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Pope Francis. However, our heavy hearts were somewhat lightened by the fact that His Holiness was able to share an Easter greeting with the Church and the world he served so devotedly throughout his life and ministry,” said King Charles.

Pope Francis' funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.

After the ceremony, the Pope's body will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, according to his wishes, making him the first Pope to be buried outside the Vatican since Pope Leo XIII in 1903.


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