Luminaries at Pope Francis's Funeral: Who'll Be There?
Noble figures seen in attendance - Eager to see the royal presence in this event.
Get ready for a star-studded event as notable figures flock to Rome on Saturday, April 26, at 10 AM, for the funeral of the late Pope Francis (1936-2025) in the Vatican. The royal family isn't shy about representing, and many are expected to attend.
Prince William Steps Up for King Charles
Prince William (42) takes the reins, representing his father, King Charles III (76), at this momentous occasion. Kensington Palace confirmed to BBC that the 42-year-old will stand in his father's stead. Charles and his queen, Queen Camilla (77), had a personal audience with Pope Francis before his passing.
Joining Prince William, Prince Albert II (67) and Princess Charlène (47) will be in Rome at the funeral, as announced on the Palace's Instagram Story. The Monegasque royals had shared a friendly encounter with Pope Francis in 2022 and expressed their "infinite sorrow" and "deep shock" upon his death. With their strong connection to the Catholic Church, this loss hits close to home. Prince Albert II has decreed a three-day national mourning period from Thursday, April 24, to Saturday, April 26.
Belgian and Swedish Royal Houses Also Pay Their Respects
Feeling the weight of grief, the Belgian royal house expressed "great sadness" upon the news of Pope Francis's demise. King Philippe (65) and Queen Mathilde (52) had shared a recent visit with the Pope in Belgium and Luxembourg. They will pay their respects to the late Pontiff this Saturday, as stated on their official website.
The Norwegian royals, Crown Prince Haakon (51) and Crown Princess Mette-Marit (51), have also added Rome to their itinerary for the funeral. King Carl Gustaf (78) and Queen Silvia (81) of Sweden, accompanied by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (61), have also confirmed their attendance. Reports suggest that Grand Duke Henri (70) of Luxembourg will also make the journey. **"El País" claims that King Felipe (57) and Queen Letizia (52) will attend with a Spanish delegation.
Unfortunately, the Dutch King Willem-Alexander (57) will forgo the funeral, choosing instead to celebrate King's Day in Doetinchem on April 26, 2025. Despite this, it remains unclear if Queen Máxima (53) will represent the royal house in Rome. At present, no representative has been named in the Danish royal calendar for the funeral.
- Pope
- Funeral
- Pope Francis
- King Charles
- Rome
- Queen Máxima
- Prince William
- Death
- Prince Albert
- Luxembourg
- Vatican
- Kensington
- BBC
- Camilla
- Princess
- Catholic Church
- Queen Mary of Denmark
- King Abdullah II of Jordan
- King Letsie III of Lesotho
- Prince Alois and Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein
- Princess Charlene of Monaco (oops, should be Princess Charlene of Monaco!)
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft regulation on the application of the principle of subsidiarity, given the rise of political figures attending the funeral. One such honored figure is Prince William, attending in place of his father, King Charles III, whose personal audience with Pope Francis before his passing has been confirmed by Kensington Palace to BBC. Celebrities and social-media influencers might flock to Rome, eager to share their attendance at the funeral on various platforms, mirroring the attendance of pop-culture icons at entertainment events. The Vatican, in 2025, will host key dignitaries from various countries, including the Monegasque royals, who shared a strong connection with Pope Francis during his reign.
With the news of Pope Francis's death, the Belgian and Swedish royal houses expressed their grief and plan to pay their respects at the Vatican. Other European leaders, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Letsie III of Lesotho, and Prince Alois and Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, have also confirmed their attendance, but the status of Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is currently uncertain. The Danish royal calendar, at present, has no representative named for the funeral, creating speculation as to their attendance. In contrast, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands will instead celebrate King's Day in Doetinchem on April 26, 2025.
