Royal Expert Reveals Why Kate Middleton Didn't Join Prince William at Pope’s Funeral

Prince William traveled to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City to pay his respects to the late Pope Francis. He attended the funeral on April 26 on behalf of the Crown, standing in for his father, King Charles. However, royal watchers were quick to notice that he arrived without his wife, Kate Middleton. Royal expert Hugo Vickers explained her absence, noting that it’s uncommon for a royal couple to attend such events together.

Vickers, who spoke on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, opined that William was ‘absolutely the right guy’ to attend the funeral. When asked whether Middleton would join her husband, he answered, “Again, it's protocol. William is the one who is going. He is representing the King. So it would be unusual if a couple went.” According to Town & Country magazine, Middleton, who completed her cancer treatment just last September, continues to be cautious about which public events she attends. The publication also echoed that it’s not customary for a British royal’s other half to be required to attend a high-profile funeral.

Vickers also revealed that, as per royal tradition, Charles was not allowed to attend the late Pope’s funeral. He explained, “I mean, the Pope didn't come to the Queen's funeral, as you remember, and actually, Prince Charles went to the last, not Pope Benedict, Pope John Paul II's funeral. The King doesn't go to those sorts of funerals.” The expert added of Prince William’s presence, “We have seen him step up and be deputized in such a strong way for King Charles because obviously with the King's health battles last year…he has had to step up a lot and I do think he's doing it very well while juggling family life.”

Back when the then-Prince Charles represented his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005, he had also attended without his partner, Camilla Parker Bowles. His wedding to the future bride had to be postponed, given the funeral. The pair ended up getting married a day later on April 9, 2005. Although the Palace didn’t say whether the Princess of Wales would be attending the funeral, there was a strong precedent hinting that she would skip the service.

As reported by Hello! magazine, family responsibilities also likely played a role in Middleton’s decision to skip the funeral. The mom of three was occupied with Prince Louis's seventh birthday celebrations and is preparing for daughter Princess Charlotte's tenth birthday next week. William's solo attendance at Pope Francis' funeral in a way signals his growing role within the monarchy as a ‘global statesman’ and the ‘future King’ of England.