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Westminster Cathedral is preparing for the funeral service of Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, whose coffin has arrived ahead of the ceremony on Tuesday. The soldiers of the Royal Dragoon Guard, where she held the position of deputy colonel-in-chief, solemnly carried her coffin from the royal hearse into the cathedral. Wrapped in the royal standard, the coffin was transported from Kensington Palace, where the duchess passed away at the age of 92 earlier this month, with a bagpiper escorting the hearse as it departed.
Accompanied by her immediate family, including her widower the Duke of Kent and their three children, a service to mark the arrival of the duchess’ coffin at the cathedral was held, following the traditional Roman Catholic funeral protocol. The upcoming Requiem Mass on Tuesday at the cathedral will be attended by the King, Queen, and other prominent members of the royal family. Among the musical selections for the service is Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus, a piece chosen by the duchess during her appearance on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs in 1990.
As a tribute to her Yorkshire heritage, the wreath adorning her coffin features white roses, the symbol of Yorkshire, along with yew sprigs from the gardens of Hovingham Hall, her family residence. The duchess, who was the oldest member of the Royal Family at the time of her passing, received numerous accolades for her dedication to charitable causes and love of music. Remembered not only for her royal status but also for her humble profession as a primary school music teacher, known to her students as Mrs. Kent, she was a familiar face at the Wimbledon tennis championships, where she presented trophies and consoled defeated competitors.
The coffin will be housed in the cathedral’s Lady Chapel overnight before the private family funeral service on Tuesday afternoon. Following the ceremony, the coffin will be interred at the royal burial ground in Frogmore at Windsor. The royal hearse, carrying the duchess, had been previously utilized for the late Queen’s funeral three years ago
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