Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, has attended his first public Catholic Mass in an official capacity, during a visit to Malta.
The Duke of Cambridge was in the Mediterranean nation representing Queen Elizabeth II at the 50th anniversary of Malta’s independence.
He went to a Thanksgiving Mass at St John’s Cathedral in Valetta, Malta’s capital on September 21.
The Prince sat next to the British High Commissioner and a few seats from Malta’s president Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.
Principal celebrant at the Mass was Archbishop Paul Cremona of Malta.
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said this was the first “public” Mass the Prince has attended.
Aides told media that Prince William might have attended Masses privately in the past.
In a private capacity, Prince William might have attended the Requiem Mass for Frances Kydd, his Catholic maternal grandmother, at the Catholic Cathedral in Oban on June, 2004.
In Malta, Prince William was travelling alone, without his wife, Catherine, and 14-month-old son George.
Catherine, who is pregnant, was supposed to go to Malta on what would have been her first solo official visit.
But she withdrew because of ongoing morning sickness.
At a function with the Maltese president, Prince William apologising to waiting crowds that he was standing in for his wife, but joked that Malta “might not survive baby George”.
“There’s too many precious things around here,” he joked with the president.
Bishop Charles Scicluna, auxiliary bishop of Malta, said: “I told the Duke that the Duchess was very much in our prayers and she has the prayers of the Maltese people.”
“It is wonderful time extending one’s family. [The Prince] said ‘Fingers crossed, she’ll be better soon’.”
When Prince William ascends the British throne he will inherit the title of supreme governor of the Church of England.
He also has strong Catholic links because he is distantly related to Fr Ignatius (George) Spencer, whose cause for sainthood is presently being considered by the Vatican.
A great-great-great uncle of the Prince’s mother, Diana, Fr Spencer was an Anglican vicar before he became a Catholic at the age of 31, then a priest and ultimately a Passionist.
Sources