On Air Now
Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden 6:30am - 10am
Why King Charles isn't allowed to attend the Pope's funeral
26 April 2025, 08:00 | Updated: 28 April 2025, 09:26
- Prince William, the Prince of Wales, will attend the funeral of Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday, April 26
- King Charles III will not be attending the funeral, despite having a close relationship with the late Pope Francis
- The precedent that the Monarch does not attend funerals in foreign nations was set by Queen Elizabeth II
- Listen to Heart on Global Player, the official Heart app
Why isn't King Charles at the Pope's funeral? The real reason Prince William will be attending instead, explained.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
King Charles III, 76, will not be at the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, April 26, in the Vatican, with Prince William, 42, attending the papal funeral in his place.
Pope Francis' will be laid to rest at St Peter's Basilica following his death on Easter Sunday, April 20, at the age of 88-years-old, which came as a result of a stroke.
On Tuesday, April 22, the Palace confirmed that Prince William would be attending the funeral as a representative of King Charles and the British Royal Family in a statement, but added no further details.
Ahead of the Prince of Wales' trip to the Vatican for the funeral, many people have questioned why King Charles is not attending, especially considering that the Monarch was the last Head of State to have an audience with Pope Francis prior to his death.
Why isn't King Charles at the Pope's funeral?
King Charles III will not attend Pope Francis' funeral due to "protocol and precedence" which "dictates that the Sovereign does not attend funerals."
The Palace revealed on Tuesday that it was advised by the UK Government that the King did not attend the funeral at the Vatican, sending his son (and the heir to the throne) Prince William in his place.
According to reports, it is protocol for the British head of state, who is the head of the Church of England, not to attend funerals in foreign nations.
- Read more: Prince William makes heartbreaking admission about Princess Kate Middleton's cancer battle
Meanwhile, royal expert Katie Nicholl explained in Vanity Fair that King Charles "will not travel to the Vatican, in accordance with protocol and precedence which dictates that the Sovereign does not attend funerals, Buckingham Palace has confirmed."
This precedent was reportedly set by King Charles' mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, when she sent the then-Prince Charles to the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005.
At the time, Charles and Queen Camilla were due to get married on the day of the Pope's funeral, and were forced to delay the big day due to the request.
While King Charles will not attend the funeral of Pope Francis, he did pay an emotional tribute following the news of his death.
“My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis,” Charles wrote: “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.”
King Charles added: “His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others. His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many."
Also, as a mark of respect for the Pope, flags were flown at half-mast at palaces around the country following his death.
When the Pope passed away, King Charles and Queen Camilla had recently returned from a tour of Italy, a trip which saw the late Pope hold an audience with their Highnesses.
During the tour, the King and Queen visited the Pope at Casa Santa Maria, where he gave them a gift to mark their 20th wedding anniversary.
