Death and state funeral of Princess Josephine, The Duchess of Bedford
Josephine Somerset Carew, The Duchess of Bedford & Windsor, also known as Her Royal Highness Princess Josephine, died on 24 March 2026, at Powderham Castle, in Devon. At that time, her marriage with Prince Thomas, Duke of Devonshire was one of the longest in the regions history. Her death set in motion Operation Denby, a plan detailing procedures, services, and events including the dissemination of information, mourning, and planning of the funeral. In accordance with the traditional wishes of the day, her contributions to the region, and the fact she was the only daughter of the Sovereign, George VII, she was given a state funeral with full honours.
Josephine's coffin lay in state in Exeter Cathedral from the evening of the 24 March until the evening of the following day, when it was then flown from Exeter Airport to London Heathrow, where it laid in state in Westminster Hall from the morning of the 26 March until the 29 March. A State Funeral was held on the 30 March at Westminster Abbey in the morning, before Her Royal Highness was interred in the Devonshire aisle of St Mary's Church, Ottery St Mary, in a private service that afternoon. Notably, space was left so that her husband could be interred alongside her upon his death.
It was the first publicly broadcast Royal funeral since the Anglo-Catholic Requiem mass of Prince Victor, 1st Duke of York.
Background
Princess Josephine was known throughout her life for bouts of ill-health: following the death of her eldest son, Owain Carew, Lord Sidmouth, she had to retire from public life and convalesced in the Scottish Highlands, while she has had to resign from High Office due to personal circumstances. However, none of these illnesses or other bouts of problems had ever been considered life-threatening.
In fact, Josephine was in tremendous health close to her death: she had contested the February 2026 General Election with vigour and was appointed both First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for the Home Office in the ministry under Philip Somerset.
She returned to Devon on Friday 20 March, to spend time at Powderham Castle with her husband, Prince Thomas, Duke of Devonshire, who also had suffered from unreasonable bouts of ill health. She intended to stay in Devon until the 25 March, upon which she was scheduled to return to London to meet the North Pacific Ambassador for lunch.
Death and National Mourning
Death and Announcement
Her Royal Highness Princess Josephine died on the morning of the 24 March 2026. Her death certificate recorded her cause of death as old age. The Duke of Devonshire was, naturally, the first to find out, and the household quickly alerted Buckingham Palace. Later that day, a statement was issued from Powderham Castle, announcing the fact that Princess Josephine had passed away peacefully in her sleep at Powderham.
Devon events
Lying-in-State
Funeral Programme
Planning
Procession to Westminster Abbey
The coffin arrived at Westminster Abbey at precisely 10am.
State Funeral Service
Music by various composers was played before the service, while the traditional choice of William Croft's setting of the sentences was sung by the choir when the coffin was brought into the Abbey. The service began at 10:10am, and was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, in accordance with the Book of Prayer. The lessons were read by Philip Somerset, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and Lady Hyacinth Boles, a close family-friend and President of the Women's Institute, and the sermon and commendation were made by Frederick Urquhart, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The sermon came under some mild criticism from a select portion of the media who believed it to be unnecessarily critical; in contrast, His Royal Highness The Duke of Devonshire was said to be deeply moved by the sermon. Prayers, led once more by the Dean of Westminster, were said by various members of the clergy, including the Bishop of Exeter, who was the only member of the clergy to attend both the main funeral service and the interment.
The music included "I vow to thee my country", a personal request of Her Royal Highness, early in the service, as well as the traditional choices of "Abide with me" (which was said to be a joint favourite of Her Royal Highness and her husband), and "The Souls of the Righteous" as the anthem.
The end of the service included the playing of "The Last Post", a Reveille, and "God Save The King". Her Royal Highness' personal piper played the sole lament when the coffin was being moved out of the abbey, a stirring rendition of "Highland Cathedral" accompanied only by the organ.
Procession to Waterloo
Only one procession followed the service: the short procession from the Abbey, past the Houses of Parliament, and over Westminster Bridge towards London Waterloo Station. Compared to many Royal funerals, this was an extremely rare occurence, since many processions made their way to Windsor or were concluded in the Abbey itself.
Seven military bands were dispersed through the procession and again played funeral marches. Big Ben tolled each minute and minute guns were fired from Hyde Park by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Funeral Train
At 12:45, the procession arrived at London Waterloo Station. The coffin was conveyed onto a special funeral train, headed by the classic LNER A4 Class steam locomotive Bittern, it's first official duty since it's return to the heritage mainline following a service. Owned by the Devonshire Heritage Railway Trust founded by her husband, and of which she was Patron, the train pulled a specially made black-liveried mail carriage, as well as two classic LNER pullman carriages, for the transport of those coming to Devon for the interment. Upon the coffin being conveyed onto the carriage, a London brass band played several of Her Royal Highness' favourite songs, including Goldfinger, Defying Gravity from the Wicked soundtrack, and Mr Blue Sky. In the fields along the route, and at the stations through which the train passed, thousands stood in silence to pay their last respects.
Interment at St. Mary's
Upon arrival at Exeter St. David's at 15:27, the coffin was conveyed into a state hearse while serenaded once more by a musical ensemble, this time the Sidmouth Town Band. The members of the Royal Family, and other close friends and others who had come from London, were no longer in the full military uniforms of the ceremony in London, now changed into traditional suits and dresses, all black. The coffin was given the addition of a hyacinth-dominated wreath on either side as it drove from Exeter, through closed streets, onto the M5 before taking the "old road" to Ottery St Mary, via the road past Exeter Airport which was observing a no-fly restriction for the period of the procession and the interment.
Reaching the Church of St. Mary's in Ottery St Mary at 15:58, the Ottery St Mary Silver Band played Nimrod as the coffin was conveyed into the churchyard and to the south porch, where it was recieved by the Vicar of St Mary's. The interment was not televised, though cameras were allowed outside the church.
A shorter and more personal service, it was presided over by the Vicar of St. Mary's. The lessons were read by Sir Bernard Woolley, long-serving Private Secretary to His Royal Highness, and long-term friend of the couple, and by the Bishop of Exeter. The sermon was delivered by the Vicar of St. Mary's.
Josephine Mary Anne Joan Somerset Carew was interred in the north nave of the Church, otherwise known as the Devonshire aisle, which housed the family vault below. The simple stone slab was not symmetrical, so as to allow the eventual placing of her husband alongside her.
Upon the conclusion of the service, the Ottery band played "Pavane for a dead Princess", one of Her Royal Highness' favourites, as the congregation was leaving. Several members of the family, noticeably His Majesty The King - Josephine's father - and His Royal Highness The Duke of Devonshire - Josephine's husband - were seen to be visibly moved.
Dignitaries
Her Royal Highness' funeral was attended by almost the entirety of the Royal Family, as well as by hundreds of dignitaries, officials, and other key figures.