Princess Anne the only female behind the hearse

[jeanne16]

While the funeral was beautiful, I couldn’t help feeling annoyed that Princess Anne was the only female to walk behind the hearse. Surely all the grandchildren could have been included. Instead we see Beatrice, Eugenie and Zara tottering along on high heels. It would have been so much better to see them take an equal place with the men.

The media like to spin it that William and Harry were kept apart because of this "rift," when actually it would be much more likely to be about attempting to minimise endless scrutiny about body language and to keep the most important thing at the forefront of everyone's minds, the Queen laying her husband to rest.

It's a family affair as well as a ceremony so it makes sense to keep age in mind as well as rank.

I thought the soprano was because it would have been a faff to have a treble with all the restrictions (needing a chaperone etc), so having a grown up woman was better. I do like the idea of it mirroring his children though.

I've used the Queen's grandchildren to talk about probability before, because they have every combination: M/M (Charles), G/G (Andrew), B/G (Anne), G/B (Edward).

Sorry, I switched from male/female to boy/girl halfway through then!

Charles: M/M
Anne: M/F
Andrew: F/F
Edward: F/M

@SoupDragon

William and Harry couldn’t be trusted not to pull each other’s hair

Harry would have been at a disadvantage there.

I just saw a headline from the Evening Standard: Harry intends to stay here for his grandmother's 95th birthday on Wednesday. He hasn't yet booked his ticket back to the States.

If that is true, good!

2 of them just gave birth. And did it occur to you that maybe Zara and the rest just didn’t want to walk behind the hearse, but obviously they should be forced to do something they don’t what to because...feminism

Would be good if they could patch things up but once trust is lost its a very difficult thing to get back.
Harry must have done so much damage with that interview.

@RickySpanishhh

2 of them just gave birth. And did it occur to you that maybe Zara and the rest just didn’t want to walk behind the hearse, but obviously they should be forced to do something they don’t what to because...feminism

I thought that. It seemed obvious to me actually. I expect their babies were with Nanny in the castle so they could go straight to them after the funeral.

@Lockdownbear

Would be good if they could patch things up but once trust is lost its a very difficult thing to get back. Harry must have done so much damage with that interview.

I don't think the interview was that bad and I watched it twice in case I missed anything.

He is loved by and loves his family. I think things will be patched up.

I think Anne was there partly because the four of them would normally have been in uniform and for a long time she has been with the men in uniform at Trooping the Colour, the Cenotaph etc.
There is a poignant image of the four Princes guarding the coffin of George V at his lying in state, though the then Princess Royal was not there.
I think Anne has been instrumental in changing custom and practice and have no doubt she was supported by the family to do this.

I didn't see much evidence of Harry "loving" his family during that interview. I saw a petulant, angry man wreaking revenge.
How on earth he thinks he can walk back in and be welcomed with open arms and people bending over to apologise and make him feel better is beyond me. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them never speak to him again.

@Maggiesfarm

I just saw a headline from the Evening Standard: Harry intends to stay here for his grandmother's 95th birthday on Wednesday. He hasn't yet booked his ticket back to the States.

If that is true, good!

If this is true I'm sure there will soon be another thread on why Harry should not be invited to his GMs birthday.

@SoupDragon

Not everything needs to be pulled apart and psycho analysed

Are you new to Mumsnet? 😂😂

Well I've just seen a headline saying Harry's going back later today.
🤷‍♀️

@CallmeHendricks

Well I've just seen a headline saying Harry's going back later today. 🤷‍♀️

I've just seen that as well.

It's not really a surprise is it?

I’m not Harry’s biggest fan, but the media are just guessing at when he’s going back.

They’ve all said he has an open return so they don’t have a clue therefore until they see him at Heathrow they’re all going to milk the “he’s staying for crisis talks” and “he’s running away ASAP” stories interchangeably.

As soon as he goes back there will be multiple stories from “sources” saying that Charles/William begged him to stay, Meghan summoned him home, Charles/William told him to go, he was always going/staying til x date, and the likes until it’s been milked for all it’s worth.

Probably because she is the only daughter and probably insisted on walking .

I'm not surprised that someone has taken offense at a funeral supposedly arranged by Prince Philip. People seem to be angered/outraged/annoyed over things they have absolutely no input into and therefore no knowledge of why. It was his funeral a who cares! Have as many of the females in your circle as you like.....becuase it's yours.

@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

Well unless we know why they didn't walk then it's moot surely? Is it because they aren't equal? Or is it because 2 of them have fairly recently given birth and felt the walk was too much? It's easier to have no granddaughters than some granddaughters. Maybe they chose to go in the cars. I know I would.

This would be my guess too. It was a good walk and done weeks after giving birth would be awful.

It was about his children it was done perfectly

Just the children it would have been clearer if they had have been wearing their military garb but for obs reason this wasn’t the case . Then a few close choices . Prince Philip picked everyone who was there was down to him and by his choosing . I listened to the funeral . Especially nice that he could have his sisters relatives when he couldn’t have them all those years ago at the wedding .

Don’t forget Edwards son, James, is oly. 13 so very young to walk behind a herse I’d say. Sticking to the 3 oldest grandchildren made sense.

Hadn’t even given it a thought! I was too busy feeling sorry for the Queen and the children of PP and hers.

@eaglejulesk

You feel annoyed because someone else’s funeral was the way they wanted it and not how you think it should have been?

Totally agree. What on earth has it got to do with anyone who walked, who didn't, what happened at all. Would you like it if people questioned the choices any of you made for a family funeral?

Another vote for this point of view.