The Duke of Kent has reportedly instructed Buckingham Palace to exclude Prince Harry from attending the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral, intensifying the ongoing rift within the royal family. The Duchess, a beloved figure who quietly stepped back from royal duties years ago and was known for her passion for music and charitable work, passed away at the age of 92. While senior royals including King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton are expected to pay their respects, Harry’s attendance has become a contentious issue.
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The Duke of Kent, whose wife the Duchess was, is said to have made the decision to suggest Harry’s exclusion, citing the Duke of Sussex’s fraught relationship with the royal family and the potential for media distraction. Insiders suggest the Duke prioritized preserving the solemnity of the occasion over granting access to a family member currently estranged and living abroad. This marks one of the rare occasions where a senior royal has blocked attendance by another royal, underscoring the depth of tensions.
Although Harry has privately sent condolences to the Duke of Kent, his travel plans indicate he will not stay in the UK for the funeral service on September 16, further confirming his exclusion. Harry is scheduled to attend the WellChild Awards, where he serves as a patron, but return to California before the funeral.
The decision highlights the wider fallout from Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from senior royal roles in 2020, illustrating how fractured the family remains, especially when it comes to public and private appearances at key family moments.
This exclusion, coupled with ongoing delays in granting royal titles and security arrangements for Harry’s children, signals a continuing distancing from the Sussex family by the core royal household during times of mourning and tradition