Prince Edward will represent the crown at Pope Leo’s inauguration on Sunday

Prince William basically had to be dragged kicking and screaming to Pope Francis’s funeral a few weeks ago. According to the Daily Mail, William tried to get out of going to Rome because Aston Villa was playing that same day. William wanted Prince Edward sent to represent the crown, just as Edward attended Jimmy Carter’s funeral in January (when really, William should have gone). So, William went to Francis’s funeral, he wore a gaudy blue suit and he told everyone that he was a big-boy statesman. That was his first and only time representing the crown abroad at a state function since becoming Prince of Wales nearly three years ago. Obviously, William is not eager to flex his questionable statesman muscles again. Prince Edward will attend Pope Bob’s formal installation as pope next weekend.

The Duke of Edinburgh will represent the King at the inauguration of the new Pope, Buckingham Palace has said. Prince Edward will travel to the Vatican to attend Pope Leo XIV’s formal installation as Pope at a mass in St Peter’s Square next Sunday. Global leaders will gather for the ceremony on May 18, which will mark the official start of the Chicago-born Pope’s term.

In 2013, the Duke of Gloucester attended Pope Francis’s inauguration on behalf of Elizabeth II. The ceremony attracted a crowd of some 200,000 people.

The mass typically begins with a visit to St Peter’s tomb, inside the Basilica, where deacons gather two objects: a fisherman’s ring and the pallium, an ecclesiastical vestment worn by the Pope. Following prayers, there will likely be a procession into St Peter’s Square before Pope Leo is presented with the pallium and the ring as a symbol of his taking of the papacy.


In the days leading up to the inauguration, the Pope will have meetings with cardinals and the press.

Pope Leo XIV, formerly known as Robert Prevost, was elected on Thursday as the 267th Pontiff and Bishop of Rome. The King sent a private message to the Pope on Friday, congratulating him on his election. He sent “most sincere good wishes for his Pontificate” on behalf of both himself and the Queen, the palace said.

The King is deeply religious and takes his titles of Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England extremely seriously.

[From The Telegraph]

Ah, yes, Charles is so deeply religious that he skipped the Jesuit Pope’s funeral and now he’s skipping the Chicago Pope’s inauguration. Anyway, I like how Buckingham Palace keeps sending different people to the Vatican, like there’s not just one royal who can keep up with all things papal. I also wonder how Europeans really feel about the Chicago Pope – another ghastly American invading their precious club? And I wonder who the White House will send to the inauguration. Please, don’t send JD Vance. He’ll kill off poor Pope Bob, just like he did with Francis.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.