Members of the Royal Family take part in Canonisation Mass
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attend Canonisation of Bl. John Paul II and Bl. John XXIII, and visit the Pontifical Irish College
On Sunday 27 April, TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester represented Her Majesty The Queen at the Mass of Canonisation for Bl. Pope John XXIII and Bl. Pope John Paul II.
In the afternoon of Saturday 26 April, Their Royal Highnesses visited the Pontifical Irish College, just over two weeks after the historic first state visit of an Irish President, President Michael Higgins, to the United Kingdom. This was the first visit of a Member of the Royal Family to the Irish College, the principal seminary for trainee Irish priests (including from Northern Ireland) in Rome.
The British Ambassador to the Holy See Nigel Baker said:
I am delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are representing The Queen at the Vatican today, after Her Majesty’s historic meeting with Pope Francis earlier this month.
I am particularly grateful to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for taking the time to visit the Pontifical Irish College – something I know Their Royal Highnesses have long wished to do - and the staff of the College led by the Rector Msgr Ciaran O’Carroll, accompanied by His Eminence Cardinal Sean Brady, for their warm welcome and generous hospitality.
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester represented Her Majesty The Queen at the Mass for the Inauguration of Pope Francis’ Pontificate on 19 March 2013. They also attended the Beatification Mass for John Paul II on 1 May 2011.
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