Prince William likely to represent King Charles at Pope Francis funeral

Prince William, the heir to the British throne, is expected to attend the funeral of Pope Francis if the heads of states or their representatives are invited.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, British journalist Rebecca English wrote  "We expect something from Buckingham Palace this morning. Officials also waiting to learn of the Pope’s funeral intentions and if Heads of States or their representatives (most likely Prince William) will be invited."

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday.

He was 88, and had suffered a serious bout of double pneumonia this year, but his death came as a shock after he had been driven around St. Peter's Square in an open-air popemobile to greet cheering crowds on Easter Sunday.

Francis on Sunday made his first prolonged public appearance since being discharged from hospital on March 23 following a 38-day stay for pneumonia, occasionally waving to onlookers and greeting a child who was brought to his side.

Tributes for Francis poured in from around the world, with many leaders praising his humility. No date has yet been set for the funeral.