Why King Charles Won’t Be at Pope Francis’s Funeral (and Who’s Going Instead)

As the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis, global leaders and admirers are preparing to gather in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for his funeral on Saturday, April 26. The guest list includes notable names like U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and royals such as King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain. However, one high-profile royal won’t be making the trip—King Charles. Instead, his son, Prince William, will attend the funeral on his behalf, Us Weekly reports.

While Buckingham Palace hasn’t shared an official reason for the King's absence, the decision isn’t actually out of the ordinary. According to Hello!, this move aligns with a precedent set by the late Queen Elizabeth II. It’s also not unusual for Prince William, in his role as the Prince of Wales, to represent his father at official engagements, including state visits and ceremonies like this one.

Though King Charles won’t be attending in person, he did release a heartfelt statement honoring the late Pope, who passed away at the age of 88 due to a stroke and irreversible heart failure, according to his death certificate.

“My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis,” the April 21 message read. “Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.”

Earlier this month, the Palace also shared a touching photo from King Charles and Queen Camilla’s recent visit with Pope Francis during their royal tour of Italy. The image showed Queen Camilla dressed in traditional black as she greeted the Pope, with King Charles beside her in a classic black suit.