Prince William will attend Pope Francis’s funeral on behalf of the British royal family, representing his father, King Charles.
This is expected to take place at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on April 26, 2025. The Prince of Wales will be joining U.S President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer among world leaders attending the service. On April 21, the Pope died and just a few days later, his funeral takes place according to Vatican traditional circumstances.
The involvement of the Royal Family in the Pope’s funeral shows how much respect the British monarchy holds for the pontiff. King Charles and Queen Camilla had a private meeting with Pope Francis two weeks prior to his death, during their visit to Italy. Buckingham Palace described the moment as part of the trip’s highlights, showcasing the continued connection of the royal family with the Vatican. The visit was meant to be a state visit to the Vatican but was called off because of the Pope’s health concerns then.
Meanwhile, as a mark of respect, royal flags were flown at half-mast at residences around the UK. King Charles, representing his late mother, Queen Elizabeth, at Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005, was also seen in a black tie for recent engagements at Windsor Castle. These are symbolic of the fact that the death of the Pope is of importance and the commitments of the monarchy to pay respects to his memory.
The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis’s funeral will be outdoors in front of St. Peter’s Basilica at 10:00 AM local time and presided by Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. Since the announcement, it has released poignant images of Pope Francis in an open casket, dressed in his red papal robes in the Casa Santa Marta chapel, where he lived for most of his papacy.
Breaking with tradition, Pope Francis will not lie in the crypt beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, as other Popes have done. His remains are to be interred in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major, per his own request. The Pope had made this request when he drafted his testament in his will. “I have always entrusted myself to the care of Virgin Mary,” he had said. His tomb is to be simple, with no great ornamentation; it is simply to bear the inscription “Franciscus” in Latin.
The testament of the Pope showed his wish that his tomb be in the Basilica-between the Pauline Chapel and the Sforza Chapel. Pope Francis expressed in his testament his gratitude for the care received during his life, with the hope that people might be able to live in peace and fraternity, making this final request a very intimate and reflective one.
With Prince William set to attend the funeral, the presence of the British royal family at such a key occasion underlines the global significance of Pope Francis’s leadership and legacy.
This is the end of an era: Francis was the first Pope in more than five decades to take a personal stand on matters of peace and justice and gained worldwide respect for his humility and compassion.
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