Queen Mary, Prince William to represent monarchies at Pope Francis' funeral

Queen Mary of Denmark is set to represent the Danish monarchy at the funeral of Pope Francis, scheduled for Saturday in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City.

The Danish Royal House confirmed her attendance in an official announcement on their website.

The 53-year-old Queen will attend the solemn ceremony alongside Prince William, who will represent his father, King Charles.

Queen Mary's presence underscores the significance of the event, which is expected to draw numerous world leaders and royals paying their final respects to the late Pope, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

King Frederik will not be able to attend the funeral as he is currently on a diplomatic trip to Japan, with an upcoming visit to Greenland on his agenda.

This marks Queen Mary's return to the Vatican since her and King Frederik's audience with Pope Francis during their official visit to Italy in 2018.

For the unversed, King Charles' decision not to attend continues the tradition of the British monarch not attending papal funerals, as Queen Elizabeth did in 2005 when the Prince Charles attended on her behalf.