Pope’s funeral prompts changes to King’s Day plans in Doetinchem
The funeral of pope Francis in Rome on Saturday has led to changes in this year’s King’s Day celebrations in Doetinchem, but the king and queen will not attend the service, the state information service has confirmed.
Prime minister Dick Schoof and foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp will represent the Netherlands at the funeral of the pontiff, who died on Monday at the age of 88.
There had been speculation that the king and/or queen Máxima might cancel their King’s Day plans to travel to the Vatican. Both have met the pope several times, and Máxima is both Argentine and Catholic by birth.
Instead, the Doetinchem festivities will start at midday rather than 11 am, when the live television broadcast of the funeral will also begin. The funeral takes place at 10 am.
When previous popes have died, the Netherlands has always been represented by the prime minister.
US president Donald Trump, British prime minister Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky are among the world leaders to have confirmed their attendance at the funeral.
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