Prince William, Starmer represent Britain at Pope Francis's funeral
Starmer attended alongside his wife Victoria
Keir Starmer (C) and his wife Victoria Starmer (C/L) with foreign secretary David Lammy (L) arrive ahead of the late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at The Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)
Pramod Thomas is a senior correspondent with Asian Media Group since 2020, bringing 19 years of journalism experience across business, politics, sports, communities, and international relations. His career spans both traditional and digital media platforms, with eight years specifically focused on digital journalism. This blend of experience positions him well to navigate the evolving media landscape and deliver content across various formats. He has worked with national and international media organisations, giving him a broad perspective on global news trends and reporting standards.
PRINCE WILLIAM and prime minister Sir Keir Starmer joined world leaders and royalty in Vatican City on Saturday (26) to pay their final respects to Pope Francis at a historic funeral service that drew approximately 200,000 mourners to St Peter's Square.
The Prince of Wales represented his father King Charles III at the ceremony, maintaining a royal tradition after the King had previously attended Pope Benedict XVI's funeral. William was seen arriving solemnly at the Vatican, taking his place among the distinguished congregation of international dignitaries.
Starmer attended alongside his wife Victoria, representing the British government at what Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, called a "special" occasion. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney was also present, highlighting the event's significance across the UK. UK foreign secretary David Lammy also attended the event.
Cardinal Nichols reflected on the importance of their attendance, he said, "It's an expression of the respect in which the Catholic faith, and I think other religions, are held in Great Britain, in our country."
The Cardinal recalled King Charles's previous remarks on religious diversity, noting: "I remember very vividly, shortly after his mother died, King Charles invited faith leaders to Buckingham Palace, and he gave a quite remarkable speech. He said, 'I have constitutional duties to the church in Scotland and the Church of England, but I have no less important duties to all the lives of faith in this country.'"
Prince William, Prince of Wales arrives for late Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025. (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
Prime minister had earlier expressed his condolences, saying the "outpouring of grief" following Francis's death reflected the "high esteem" in which the Pope was held "not just by millions and millions of Catholics, but by many others across the world, myself included."
Cardinal Nichols suggested the attendance of Britain's political leaders demonstrated a "strengthened relationship between the faiths and Government" that had developed in recent years, particularly during the pandemic. He noted that this partnership had allowed faith communities to "reach parts of the population far more effectively than Government procedures could."
The seating arrangement at the funeral followed strict diplomatic protocol, with dignitaries positioned on the right-hand side of the square facing St Peter's Basilica. Heads of state were seated in alphabetical order by country, in French, following the front-row positions reserved for the leaders of Argentina (the Pope's homeland) and Italy.
The British representatives joined global figures, including US president Donald Trump and former president Joe Biden, France's president Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, and numerous European royals such as Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.