King Charles III will not attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who died on April 21 following a stroke.
Instead, Prince William will travel to Vatican City to represent his father and the British royal family at the high-profile service, set to take place on Saturday.
The decision for the 76-year-old monarch to stay in the UK is rooted in royal tradition.
Though Charles is said to have had a warm relationship with the late pontiff, he is following a precedent set by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who never attended the funeral of any pope during her reign.
This protocol aligns with the monarch’s constitutional role as Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England — positions historically separate from the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, Hello reports.
Back in 2005, Charles — then Prince of Wales — attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II on the Queen’s behalf. Nearly two decades later, that same symbolic gesture is being passed on to his eldest son.
Prince William - now first in line to the throne - will be the only British royal attending the funeral. Princess Catherine is not expected to join him and will remain in Windsor with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, per the Daily Express.
While Prince William never met Pope Francis, King Charles met the pontiff on three separate occasions. Their final meeting took place just 12 days before the Pope’s passing during Charles and Queen Camilla’s state visit to Italy.
A senior palace official described the encounter as a “very significant and special moment.”
In a heartfelt tribute, the King and Queen shared their sorrow over the Pope’s death. “The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month,” the monarch wrote.
Charles and Camilla’s earlier meetings with Pope Francis included a papal audience in 2017 and a solo visit by Charles in 2019 ahead of the canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Rome.
As Pope Francis lies in state at St Peter’s Basilica, crowds from around the globe have begun queuing to pay their respects. The public viewing will continue until Saturday’s funeral.
Among those mourning are newlyweds Luis and Macarena, who told BBC News they had come to Rome hoping to receive the Pope’s blessing. “I think we received the blessing from above,” Luis said.
Francis's body is clothed in red robes, mirroring the traditional attire of past popes in death. A white papal miter rests on his head—the ceremonial headdress worn by bishops—symbolizing his role as the bishop of Rome. Draped across his chest is a pallium, a white woolen band marked with crosses, worn like a collar.
For Prince William, this solemn occasion marks a notable step in his evolving role as a future global statesman. For King Charles, it’s a continuation of a long-standing royal principle — respect paid, tradition upheld.