September 15 RECAP: Duchess of Kent's coffin travels to Westminster Cathedral ahead of funeral

Hello! Today's a popular day for royal birthdays as the Duke of Sussex celebrates his 41st birthday, Queen Letizia of Spain turns 53 and Prince Daniel of Sweden is 52.

We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for any tributes or new photographs on social media today - we're sure Meghan, Archie and Lilibet will be making a fuss of Harry! 

Stay tuned.

Today also marks a sad day for the royal family as the Duchess of Kent's coffin will be taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral later today, and will rest overnight in the Lady Chapel. 

The funeral will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday 16 September.

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Katharine, wife of the late Queen's cousin the Duke of Kent, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her close family, on 4 September. 

Her funeral will be the first Catholic funeral service held for a member of the royal family in modern British history.

The King, who is the head of the Church of England, will attend.

The Duchess of Kent will be laid to rest tomorrow, but her funeral is an unprecedented occasion in modern royal history - but do you know why?

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The service marks the first time in modern history that a Catholic funeral will be held for a member of the royal family.

The Duchess, born Katharine Worsley, converted to Catholicism in 1994 at the age of 61. This made her the first royal to do so in over 300 years, a decision that followed in the footsteps of King Charles II, who converted on his deathbed in 1685. However, Charles II was given an Anglican funeral, making the Duchess's service at Westminster Cathedral a groundbreaking occasion.

An outtake from a 2004 portrait session, a striking photograph captures Queen Elizabeth II with her eyes closed, radiating calm and stillness. The artist, Chris Levine, was commissioned to create a portrait to commemorate the 800th anniversary of Jersey's allegiance to the Crown. He used a laser scanning technique to achieve a unique effect.

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Now, Chris has sat down with HELLO! to reveal that he only realised the power of this image, titled "Lightness of Being," a few years later. The photo has since become one of the most compelling and historic portraits of the late monarch, showing a rarely seen, intimate side of her. Read the full story to see the special image.

Following a 19-month separation, Prince Harry finally reunited with his father, King Charles, for a private tea at Clarence House. This long-awaited meeting, which lasted just under an hour, made headlines around the globe - and now we're giving you all the inside information.

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While a reunion had been "under consideration" for some time, a definitive date was not set. However, some observers noted Harry's more relaxed demeanor in the days prior, suggesting the meeting was imminent. Buckingham Palace only confirmed the Duke's visit as he was leaving.

For Harry, who has openly expressed a desire to reconcile with his father, the brief visit was a significant and welcome step. As a source close to him stated, "He would like a relationship with his father. There's no doubt about that."

While we wait for the latest from the royal birthday girls and boys, we thought we'd bring you some autumn style inspo courtesy of the Princess of Wales' sister, Pippa Middleton.

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Though she generally keeps a low profile, her appearances at events like Wimbledon often showcase her impeccable fashion choices. She has an impressive collection of coats that perfectly align with current autumn trends, making her a great source of inspiration for seasonal dressing.

From classic suede and tweed to elegant dress coats, her wardrobe features a wide variety of chic options for staying warm. See our favourite looks centering around coats, including this fabulous military jacket...

Princess Charlene has proved she's not always one for toeing the line as she marked World First Aid Day with her own foundation and the Red Cross by teaching young children the importance of knowing first aid techniques last week.

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She made an unexpected fashion statement when she was photographed with a bright red pedicure as she sat barefoot and cross-legged on the floor, revealing her crimson toenails! The palace's official Instagram account posted the photos, which also showed Princess Charlene in a casual outfit: a red Nike jacket, beige cargo pants, and a white polo shirt with her foundation's logo. 

That's all from me, folks! 

I'm now handing you over to the lovely Georgia Weir for an afternoon of royal news...enjoy!

Hello there and thanks Katie! Signing on for the afternoon coverage of what's shaping up to be a quite the busy day for royals across the globe from here in the UK to Sweden and Spain where a number of royal birthdays are taking place.

For now, we're looking at the Duchess of Kent's funeral, which is set to take place tomorrow. It appears Prince Harry will miss the funeral after making his way home. After an eventful four-day visit to the UK and a trip to Ukraine, Prince Harry seems to be back home in California in time to celebrate his 41st birthday.

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Later tonight, the royal hearse will transport her coffin from Kensington Palace to Westminster Cathedral for a private vigil ahead of a funeral tomorrow.  The palace has confirmed that the King and Queen and members of the royal family will join the Duke of Kent and members of the Duchess's family at the service, however, Prince Harry will not be joining as he celebrates his birthday at home in California with Meghan, Lilibet and Archie.

Meghan and Harry have appeared in a new trailer for ABC's upcoming documentary, The Happiest Story on Earth: 70 Years of Disneyland. Set to air on 21 September, the ABC News special features a slew of celebrities talking about their memories of Disneyland. 

The trailer, which was released today also features "an exclusive message from Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on what the park means to them and their family," per a statement from ABC. The couple can be seen pictured on the iconic Space Mountain ride which Harry says was one of his favourites.

© Samir Hussein/WireImage

The message comes just months after Meghan and Harry marked Princess Lilibet's fourth birthday with a trip to Disneyland. The Duchess of Sussex previously shared sweet videos from the family’s visit on the rides and also enjoying the park's food and treats.

You can watch the trailer here.

Meghan Markle has posted a sweet birthday tribute to Prince Harry for his 41st birthday. The tribute, which was posted to Instagram, included an unearthed snap of Harry from 2015 when he took part in a 75th anniversary event remembering the Battle of Britain.

"Oh hi, Birthday Boy," Meghan simply captioned the picture. The anniversary took place on the prince's 31st birthday and saw a total of 33 Spitfires, Hurricanes and Bristol Blenheim bombers take flight. At the time, Harry had given up his seat on a plane so that a 95-year-old veteran could take part in the flight.

Members of the royal family have been spotted leaving Kensington Palace in a bus headed to Westminster Cathedral for the arrival ceremony of the Duchess of Kent into the cathedral where a private vigil will be held.

Royals have begun arriving Westminster Cathedral for a private vigil ahead of the Duchess of Kent's funeral tomorrow. Sophie Winkleman, Lord Frederick Windsor, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent are all in attendance

© Max Mumby

© Max Mumby

In a sombre moment, the Duchess' coffin has arrived to the cathedral. Her immediate family, including her daughter, husband, and grandchildren are following closely behind.

© Max Mumby

Lady Amelia Windsor, who is the Duchess' granddaughter, has also arrived at the cathedral alongside the Duchess' other grandchildren.

© Max Mumby

The Duke of Kent has stepped out in public for the first time since the news of the Duchess' passing.

© Max Mumby

© Max Mumby

Ahead of the coffin’s arrival, the Duke of Kent’s siblings,  Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra, entered the cathedral to take their place before a series of private funeral rites. Lady Gabriella Windsor was pictured supporting her father Prince Michael as they exited the service. 

Lady Helen Taylor has been seen arriving at the cathedral, too. She is accompanying her father and the Duchess of Kent's husband, Edward.

The Duchess' immediate family followed the royal hearse to the cathedral.

© Max Mumby

© Max Mumby

The event marked a rare outing for Lady Helen Taylor. The royal, who is 47th in line to the throne, has been a great support to her father, the Duke of Kent. The Duke and Duchess are also parents to George, Earl of St Andrews and Lord Nicholas Windsor.

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Prince Harry has dropped his biggest hint yet that he’s planning to return to the UK in future – and his young children Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, could be the reason behind the move. Speaking to Joss Stone at the WellChild Awards in London last week, the Duke of Sussex candidly detailed his love of the "community" spirit in the UK compared to the States, and spoke highly of the education system.

Check out the full interview! 

Buckingham Palace has just released further details about the Duchess of Kent's funeral service. 

© Max Mumby

Coffin

The Duchess's coffin, made from English willow in Bridgewater, Somerset, will be draped with the Royal Standard for Other Members of the Royal Family and adorned with a wreath.

After the Rite of Reception and Vespers on Monday evening, a Cross and a Book of The Gospels will be placed on the coffin inside the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Music

A Piper from the Royal Dragoon Guards, a regiment the Duchess of Kent served as Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, will perform a Lament titled "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep." The piper will walk from the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, past the coffin, and down the center aisle of the cathedral. This same piece was played at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.

The Choir and Organist of Westminster Cathedral will perform choral music, with compositions by Maurice Duruflé. This will include Mozart's "Ave verum corpus," a piece the Duchess chose as her favorite during her 1990 appearance on Desert Island Discs.

Finally, further details have been released about the flower arrangements for the service tomorrow.

Flowers

The wreath on top of the Duchess’s coffin will be made of British garden flowers. It is set to feature white roses, symbolising the white rose of Yorkshire, her birthplace.

The wreath will also include:

• Rosemary for remembrance
• Oak leaves for strength
• Seasonal September flowers symbolising farewell
• Achillea representing healing and strength.
• Jasmine for amiability.
• Sprigs of yew from the gardens of Hovingham Hall, the Worsley family home.

Over and out from us at HELLO! HQ. Busy day ahead tomorrow with the Duchess of Kent's funeral and Donald Trump arriving in the UK ahead of his state visit. Make sure to tune back in!