Royal couple, King Charles and Queen Camilla, participate in Sunday service at Crathie Kirk in Scotland, following Pope Francis' funeral the previous day.
The Royals Bid Scotland Greetings 🏴 instead of Rome 🇮🇹
In a sudden change of plans, King Charles and Queen Camilla found themselves in vastly different surroundings than many global leaders this morning. As opposed to the pomp and circumstance of Rome, where Pope Francis' funeral was held, our beloved British monarch attended a much more serene event – a Sunday service at Crathie Kirk church in Scotland.
Snaps of the monarch, 76, and his wife, 77, show Camilla sitting in the front passenger seat of their car, with the King in the back. The sighting comes a day after they decided not to join the masses at St Peter's Square in Rome for the three-hour mass in honor of the late pope.
World leaders, clergymen, and reigning monarchs graced the funeral at the Vatican. Spain's King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, former US First Lady Jill Biden, and Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, to name a few, were among attendees.
The Argentine pontiff, 88, passed away on Easter Monday due to a stroke. The news came less than a month after he returned home from five weeks in the hospital due to double pneumonia.
It was revealed before the funeral that Prince William would attend the event. Yet, contrary to this tradition, King Charles chose not to go himself.
However, the King did express his deepest sympathies for the pope's passing, saying, "My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis." He continued, praising the late pope's compassion, dedication, and efforts for the community and the planet.
Interestingly, the rule dictating the Sovereign's absence from funerals is rooted in protocol and precedence [4][5]. Instead, the heir, Prince William, often represents the royal family at such events. In fact, this was not the first time this tradition was followed; Prince Charles had represented Queen Elizabeth II at Pope John Paul II's funeral in 2005 [1][3][5].
King Charles and Queen Camilla recently met with Pope Francis during their state visit to Italy [1]. Although they were present during the pontiff's last public appearances, they were absent at his farewell. Nonetheless, their tribute to the late pope highlighted his profound impact on humanity and the world.
Meanwhile, the King released another statement today, expressing his sorrow and sympathy for the nine people who lost their lives at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver over the weekend [2]. It seems our monarch has a heavy heart, with several causes close to his own.
- On Saturday, it was confirmed that Camilla, the Queen Consort, was saddened by the news of Pope Francis's passing.
- Instead of attending the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday, King Charles dictated that Prince William would represent the royal family, following the rule and tradition established in previous instances.
- In the general-news sector, the news of King Charles's and Queen Camilla's attendance at a Sunday service at Crathie Kirk church in Scotland, rather than Pope Francis's funeral in Rome, also made headlines in the entertainment and travel segments.
- As King Charles and Queen Camilla were among the many world leaders who expressed their sympathies for the late pope, their tribute to Pope Francis's compassion, dedication, and efforts for the community and the planet also became part of the general-news dictates.
