I conferred with the chaplain of our lay religious group about the prayers in the Liturgy of the Hours during the interregnum. If there is a prayer for the Pope, it is to be skipped. "We have no Pope right now," he told me. We needed this information because in our breviary for the Easter season, Tuesday evening prayer includes a prayer for the Holy Father.
I think it is difficult for the priests because they are used to saying "our servant, Pope John Paul"
Our priest has been saying, "our servant, John our bishop" He just gets caught up in that habit.
You are totally correct. They can mention the Pope's name however when prayers for the dead are said during the Mass.