Real reason Kate Middleton let William go solo to Pope Francis' funeral

Prince William attended Pope Francis’ funeral over the weekend, and Kate Middleton was notably absent.

The Prince of Wales arrived at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday (April 26) in Vatican City, Italy, where he mingled with other wrld leaders, most of whom were accompanied by their spouses.

Donald Trump was accompanied by Melania Trump, and Joe Biden came with his wife Dr. Jill Biden, but the Princess of Wales was absent.

While fans may think Kate’s absence is notable, it isn’t customary for the Prince of Wales’ wife to attend funerals of world leaders with him. In a similar move, William went solo to Kuwait to offer his condolences after the death of Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah

Similarly, in 2005, King Charles (then Prince Charles) went to Pope John Paul II’s funeral alone despite his wedding with Camilla taking place a few days later. He also attended other funerals alone.

Another reason Princess Kate may have sat out the funeral is that she has significantly cut back on public duties after her cancer treatment. The Princess noted that she’d focus on her health and time with her husband and three kids as she recovers from the major disease.

“The Princess of Wales has made a gradual return to work since announcing last September that she had finished chemotherapy treatment. She has made it clear that she wants to focus on her health and her family, and her timetable of public appearances remains light,” Town & Country noted.