BBC Breakfast hosts announce sad royal news with moving tribute
Sally Nugent and Jon Kay were back to host BBC Breakfast on Tuesday.
BBC Breakfast: Sally reports on the Duchess of Kent's funeral
BBC Breakfast hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay announced the sad news that the Duchess of Kent's funeral would be held today.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will attend the funeral, which is being held at Westminster Cathedral. Introducing the tribute, Sally began, "Now, the funeral of the Duchess of Kent will take place at Westminster Cathedral this afternoon.
"The King and Queen are expected to attend the service, which will be the first Catholic funeral for a member of the Royal Family in modern British history. Our royal correspondent, Sarah Campbell, has more."
As she stood outside the Cathedral, Sarah took a moment to remember the Duchess of Kent. She said, "Departing Kensington Palace on the eve of the funeral, the Royal hearse, carrying the coffin of the Duchess of Kent.
"Draped in the Royal Standard, the wreath included white roses, the symbol of Yorkshire, where the then Katharine Worsley was born. It was also where she met and married her husband, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent."
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Paying tribute to the Duchess's life, Sarah continued, "Family life with their three children was combined with royal duties. The Duchess was a familiar face at Wimbledon and is perhaps best remembered for this moment in 1993 with losing finalist Jana Novotny for humanity and empathy, so publicly demonstrated.
"In 1994, the Duchess became the first member of the British royal family in more than 300 years to convert to Catholicism, and it was her wish to have her funeral service here at Westminster Cathedral, the main church for Roman Catholics in England and Wales, presided over by the Archbishop of Westminster."
She added, "This will be the first time a royal funeral has been held in the cathedral."
Sarah concluded the segment by discussing how the Duchess of Kent stepped back from royal duties in later years and focused on "two of her lifelong passions, music and children".
She was known as Mrs Kent and worked in schools in London and Hull.
As a clip of the royal's coffin being carried into the cathedral played, Sarah added, "Watched by her family, including her children and grandchildren and her husband of 64 years, the coffin was taken inside the cathedral for a private service
"Hundreds, including the King and Queen, will gather later today to remember the Duchess's life, which was filled with compassion and kindness to others."
BBC Breakfast airs daily at 6am on BBC One.
