George and Charlotte to join procession

[Dodie66]

Just reporting on the news George and Charlotte will join the procession inside the cathedral

I think it's great that they feel able to. I'm sure that William & Kate will have considered very carefully if it's the right thing to do. Charlotte & George's relationship reminds me very much of DD & DS!

Absolutely awful. They are far too young. Charlotte is only seven years old!

In some ways I do think that Charlotte at the age of 7 is too young but in other ways I don't.
However she may have asked to go plus she is there with her brother George. So they are supporting each other as I think it would be unfair to expect George to shoulder being on his own.
There is never a perfect time to introduce a child to a funeral but I in some ways I think the sooner the better.
DD was 14 when she attended her first funeral my Great Aunt, which really helped her when her DGM died earlier this year.
Me unfortunately I didn't attend my first funeral until I was 22 & found it extremely difficult.

@antelopevalley I think William and Kate are better placed than you to know whether Charlotte is up to it or not. They have apparently thought long and hard about it.

I don't agree with it but it's their call. I think children should go to funerals, but this is way more than just a funeral, with the world watching, and the huge crowds etc

I assume the nanny will be somewhere close to take them out if necessary

Gosh. I'm generally pro children at funerals, but this isn't any funeral. I thought they'd maybe be at the shorter service at Windsor. I'm sure their parents know best, but I really hope they haven't been pressured.

She's not too young to attend the funeral of her 96yo great grandmother - she's old enough to know that it's the way of the world, we live, hopefully to a good age, and then we die.

I went to my dads funeral age 6 and have absolutely no regrets of it at all.I've always taken comfort from it as it gave me a final point - he didn't just disappear one day and not come back so to speak.

As for the procession. It's a short procession into the abbey, hardly a distance and it's a world they're accustomed to so it's not like they've not seen the ceremony around it all before.

I’m sure their parents thought long and hard.
some cultures are much more used to children at funerals, the Irish for instance.
my DC went to her great grandmothers funeral when she was 5 and even read a prayer on the altar (v simple language).

Why though? Do they have to be part of this circus really?

I think they're damned if they do, damned if they don't.

I have never understood children being excluded from funerals. It's a weird idea to me that they should be. But having them in the procession seems very off. If they could at least be walking with a parent each and able to hold a hand but the report is they will be walking as a pair behind their parents. Bloody weird.

My daughters Papa died when she was 5 year old, my initial thoughts were she was too young to go but after speaking to other family members we all thought she would be fine. She took part in the mass and was a breath of fresh air in what would otherwise have been a very sad occasion.

whilst tomorrows funeral will be played out in public and very different to our family funeral, I have no doubt that Kate & William will know whether their children are up to it or not & a great deal of thought will have went into their decision. I’m sure they will have npmade the correct decision for the right reasons.

They will be joining n a celebration of their GGN's life - not watching a cremation or burial. I think it's OK - lots of children that age go to funerals.

I wasn't allowed to go to my nan's funeral when I was 9 and I've never forgotten not being able to say goodbye.
I think it's the right thing for George to go if he wants to. But I do think Charlotte is a bit too young but again I think it's her choice.

They do. And that's totally right and normal. Having to walk in a formal procession with only each other to walk next to and unable to take any comfort from their parents other than watching their backs ahead of them isn't.

I don't think we can possibly compare this to the sort of family funerals we have all attended. It's more are they ready for the crowds, the cameras and everything that goes with this. I wouldn't want to do it and I am not a child.

I find it bizarre. I am pro children at funerals in general but there is a private family funeral for the queen which they can attend. There is no need for them to be at the public event.

Yes they will still have their chance to say goodbye out of the view of the public all waiting eagerly to see how they cope with it all.

You can't force a child that young to do something like this, so I would assume that the children want to do it. They have spent the last ten days knowing that the whole of the rest of their extended family have taken part in processions and vigils, and maybe they have decided that they want to take some small part as well.

Anyway, I'm sure their parents know them far better than we do.

I presume their parents will have discussed it with the children, & made a judgement on what the children want and what they believe they can cope with.

I imagine Charlotte has started she wants to go, as her not going would have been easily avoided.

I'm sure William will have a very good prospective of what it's like to go to a funeral like this. I'm sure he will have explained to them what to expect and how he dealt with it.

Perhaps their parents asked them and they wanted to go

Christ I don't envy Kate tomorrow. Worrying about the kids, worrying about William and trying to keep her own emotions in check. I imagine the whole extended family will get into bed tomorrow night and sleep for a week.

This is not just going to the funeral with your parent or nanny by your side. It is joining the procession passing through the public some of whom may be crying and visibly upset. That is too much for such young children. Any child of this age.