Why Prince William and Queen Mary were the only royals to attend Pope Francis’ funeral solo

Pope Francis’s funeral was held on 26 April with major dignitaries and royals from around the world heading to pay their respects.

However, out of all the royals paying their respects, Prince William and Queen Mary were the only two European royals to attend without their spouses, the Princess of Wales and King Frederik respectively.

Keep reading to see why William and Mary made the trip solo…

William’s solo visit

It was confirmed on Tuesday that William would be travelling to the funeral on behalf of King Charles. The decision was in keeping with modern tradition and will be seen as a major milestone in William’s role as a global statesman and future king.

However, the Princess of Wales didn’t attend alongside her husband. HELLO! understands that the royal’s absence follows official protocols and that there were also family commitments.

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Back in 2005, at the funeral of Pope John Paul II, King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales, made the trip without his then fiancée, Camilla Parker-Bowles.

Kate has also been busy with her son Prince Louis’s seventh birthday celebrations and is preparing for daughter Princess Charlotte’s tenth birthday next week. The children are also no doubt busy with extracurricular activities and weekend lessons, given the five-day notice period of the global event.

Mary’s solo visit

Mary’s attendance at the funeral was confirmed on Thursday, with a statement from the Danish Palace reading: “On Saturday, 26 April 2025, Her Majesty the Queen will attend the Funeral Mass for His Holiness Pope Francis, which will take place in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City.”

While ordinarily Mary would have attended the funeral with her husband, Frederik, the Danish monarch was away on official business.

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The royal was away in Japan on a three-day visit with a further trip to Greenland planned for Monday. In the company of the Prime Minister of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, he will meet with members of the newly appointed Government of Greenland, and will also travel to Station Nord.

The royal arrived in Japan on Wednesday. During his visit, he met Emperor Naruhito and also carried out a series of engagements related to business, sustainable food production and green energy.