Wills to attend grandmother's funeral

Prince William is set to represent the royal family at the funeral of his grandmother Frances Shand Kydd.

The funeral of Princess Diana's mother is expected to take place in Oban next Thursday. Mrs Shand Kydd, 68, died peacefully at home yesterday. She had been suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Sources close to the Spencer family said today: "It is early days. The arrangements are being made as we speak. But Prince William is expected to attend."

It is not clear if Prince Harry, on a gap year in Africa, will return for the ceremony. He was told of his grandmother's death by his older brother.

William, who has been in touch with the Spencer family about Mrs Shand Kydd's failing health in recent weeks, issued a statement yesterday saying: "Harry and I are very upset by the death of our grandmother and we will miss her a lot." He is understood to have spoken to Mrs Shand Kydd by phone but it is "several months" since either William or Harry, who enjoyed childhood holidays with Diana at her Scottish hideaway, last saw her.

Twice-divorced Mrs Shand Kydd's daughters, Lady Jane and Lady Sarah, have been in close contact with parish priest Canon Donald MacKay, who read her the last rites.

But the last time Mrs Shand Kydd's three remaining children all went to see their mother was in April when she had fallen gravely ill and had been taken to hospital in Oban.

Prince Charles, whose relations with the Spencer family have been strained since Earl Spencer's stinging attack on the Windsors at Diana's funeral in 1997, is not expected at the service. It is described as a "private family occasion." Mrs Shand Kydd, who knew she was dying, became a devout Roman Catholic after converting in

1994.

She is understood to have left clear instructions that she wanted to be buried at Oban's St Columba's Cathedral which was the focus of her life in her later years and was close to her modest home on the Isle if Seil.

Father MacKay, who visited her on Wednesday and read the last rites yesterday afternoon, said: "She had known she was dying for some time. She knew she did not have much time but she was very alert. until the last days.

"When I arrived she was very close to death but she looked very peaceful and very calm and ready to meet her maker."

The Bishop of Argyll, the Right Rev Ian Murray, praised Mrs Shand Kydd for her work among the church community, saying she was "always on hand

to prepare teas and coffees, make meals for visiting clergy and help out in whatever way she could".

Friends of Earl Spencer today criticised Diana's former butler Paul Burrell for his "tasteless" attack on Mrs Shand Kydd hours after her death.

Princess Diana's brother has told friends that Mr Burrell's portrayal of Mrs Shand Kydd in the Daily Mirror as a drunk who was driven to mental imbalance by alcohol was "typical of the man".

A close source said: "It is tasteless, but what do you expect. This is a time for the family to unite and mourn together. His comments just hours after she passed away say so much about him."

The Queen will not be at the ceremony next week. She sent a private message of condolence to her godson Earl Spencer yesterday.

Ken Wharfe, Diana's former police protection officer, paid tribute to Mrs Shand Kydd.

He said: "Some people have chosen to make much play of the fact that Diana and Frances were not speaking at the time of the princess's death. But as in every family they had their ups and downs, but they would always make it up."