Princess Kate has been confirmed to not accompany Prince William to Italy for Pope Francis's funeral.
The funeral, which is scheduled to take place at the Vatican on Saturday, April 26, will be attended by the Prince of Wales, who will be representing the British Royal Family on the solemn event.
As reported by Hello!, Kate's decision to not join her husband is due to Royal protocol and family commitments.
Prince William follows King Charles' footsteps
The decision of Prince William to attend the Pope's funeral alone is in effort to keep with the modern tradition, while also highlighting the 42-year-old's role as the future king.
As the Prince of Wales, King Charles also went to Pope John Paul II's funeral solo in 2005.
Princess of Wales puts family first
Along with that, it was reported that, Kate's family responsibilities also sealed the deal on the decision.
The mother of three has been busy with birthday celebration, as just turned seven on April 23, and Princess Charlotte's tenth birthday will be marked next Friday on May 2.
William's presence at the funeral is considered a significant step in his development as a global statesman and future king.
As Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, British monarchs tend to avoid Catholic ceremonies personally.
King Charles and Pope Francis
Despite sharing a close bond, King Charles will not be attending the Pope's funeral, following the example of Queen Elizabeth II, who did not attend papal funeral herself back in 2005.
Unlike William, Charles had met Francis several times, with their most recent meeting taking place just 12 days before the Pope passed away, during King and Queen Camilla's Italy visit.
