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Original poster

Princess Anne the only female behind the hearse

538 replies

jeanne16 · 18/04/2021 07:35

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.

OP posts:
JustWonderingIfYou · 18/04/2021 07:59

Earl of Snowdon was walking too and he is queen's nephew rather than a direct descendant of Phillip so it must be phillips choice. His kids, 3 grandchildren and 2 close non blood relations- a nephew and son in law.

FlyingBurrito · 18/04/2021 08:00

@MakingPlans21

How long was the walk? Did the celebs walk that very long path in heels for Meghan’s and Harry’s wedding?
That's a rather bizarre non sequitur Grin

No one thinks that there was a planned walk that had to be cancelled because some of the women came in the wrong shoes do they Grin

didireallysaythat · 18/04/2021 08:00

I think the royal family is the definition of tradition..

But maybe the tradition is male relatives (up to some point, eg not 4th cousins). And then including Anne was an modernising exception - having a foot in both camps. I thought it was quite a strong statement that she was there and in the first row (ie it wasn't about ranking to the throne which is so often the case, it was about closeness to PP)

lidoshuffle · 18/04/2021 08:01

It has been tradition that the men follow the coffin - there's a bit in Cranford where an only child (daughter) breaks Victorian protocol and walks behind her father's coffin.

Maybe Anne got a special dispensation as Colonel in Chief of a regiment - in the past that would have been a man?

Sparklingbrook · 18/04/2021 08:01

Weird thread about heels and breastfeeding-

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_royal_family/4222208-Royal-females-High-heels?msgid=106600163

katiedidnt · 18/04/2021 08:01

@GlencoraP

Because those are the people Prince Philip wanted to walk behind his coffin.
This. It really was a very beautiful service. I didn't expect to cry so much, but Prince Charles looked increasingly devastated with each minute, and my heart just went out to him. You could just sense the mixture of grief and crushing responsibility weighing on him.

People criticise the monarchy all the time, but during Prince Philip's funeral, they were just fellow human beings, in pain at the loss of a loved one.

I suppose the fact that I haven't been able to make it to any of my loved one's funerals during the last year was a trigger as to why I couldn't stop crying. Finally let out some grief myself.

terrywynne · 18/04/2021 08:02

FlyingBurrito I find it slightly misleading when everyone has been saying that. He certainly made a lot of personal choices but all within the framework of a ceremonial funeral (overseen by the Lord Chamberlain I believe with input from the College of Arms so no going totally off piste with his choices).

Isthereaduckinthehouse · 18/04/2021 08:03

Who were the pall bearers?
I think the reason for the male element was the lineage. Their place in line to the throne relative to their parent. Harry included as he's son of future king. Anne's son as he's the first born of her family. That said, Edward's first born wasn't there, so you do have a point now that I think of it. Nor was Beatrice or Eugenie (not sure which is eldest).

Yes it was in fact male dominated for some reason. I can't really see rhyme nor reason to it.

skodadoda · 18/04/2021 08:03

@Meredusoleil

I thought it was because she's PP's only daughter?
This is your answer.
terrywynne · 18/04/2021 08:07

@Isthereaduckinthehouse

Who were the pall bearers? I think the reason for the male element was the lineage. Their place in line to the throne relative to their parent. Harry included as he's son of future king. Anne's son as he's the first born of her family. That said, Edward's first born wasn't there, so you do have a point now that I think of it. Nor was Beatrice or Eugenie (not sure which is eldest). Yes it was in fact male dominated for some reason. I can't really see rhyme nor reason to it.
Tradition! Mixed with some personal choice and modernisation. I believe the pall bearers were from the military.
FlyingBurrito · 18/04/2021 08:08

@terrywynne

FlyingBurrito I find it slightly misleading when everyone has been saying that. He certainly made a lot of personal choices but all within the framework of a ceremonial funeral (overseen by the Lord Chamberlain I believe with input from the College of Arms so no going totally off piste with his choices).
I have no personal knowledge but noticed that Huw Edwards said it many times, I thought maybe it was a well known fact about PP but possibly he just needed to keep talking and didn't get it quite right

Either way I'm happy if the funeral was what he wanted and at least it's given people who have to find fault something to talk about.

JustLyra · 18/04/2021 08:12

The procession was considerably cut down from what was originally planned. The other royal dukes, some of his godchildren, several members of Philip’s family and more of his staff would have walked as well. We’ll never know if his granddaughters may have walked as well or if Anne still remains the only female who wishes to walk. It should be remembered that two of the granddaughters have given birth very recently as well.

Earl Snowdon, and his sister, are known to be very close to the Queen and Philip so it’s not a surprise he walked.

Tim Laurence also was equerry to the Queen for years, and was a high ranking navy officer, so knew Prince Philip for many years before being his son-in-law. I don’t think his addition was just about being married to Anne.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 18/04/2021 08:12

I think it's no more than Anne is only daughter. It's only 3 week since Zara gave birth and Eugenie wasn't much earlier. Peter was probably included to keep the peace between William and Harry and also because he doesn't have a partner so makes that less conspicuous.

Oncemoretwicemore · 18/04/2021 08:13

[quote ElphabaTheGreen]@Oncemoretwicemore

ElphabaTheGreen
I did wonder why it wasn’t more ‘one in, all in’ with the grandchildren. Why just the three oldest?

And why was Princess Anne’s husband the only spouse? Why not Camilla and Sophie? Earl of Snowdon was a random inclusion to outsiders as well, but presumably PP’s wishes.

I wondered why they didn’t just keep it to the four children (ie Charles, Anne, Andrew, Edward) as all us plebs will do is speculate wildly (and probably inaccurately).

Camilla and Sophie were there!

Yes, but we’re talking about who did/didn’t walk behind the hearse. Why was Anne’s the only spouse to walk was what I’m saying.[/quote]
Oops sorry, hadn't had my coffee...

emilyfrost · 18/04/2021 08:13

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

BrieAndChilli · 18/04/2021 08:14

We can speculate all we want but there could be many reasons, maybe everyone was offered the choice and the others didn’t want to - either be on display or walk in heels or whatever.
I wouldn’t want to do that walk knowing I might burst into tears at any moment with all the world watching.
Maybe some felt it was more important to be with the queen, or maybe it was following royal tradition or PP had made the decision.
Doesn’t really matter and I’m sure those iattending the funeral has bigger things to think about.

RJnomore1 · 18/04/2021 08:14

Re the spouses, sophie had the children to take care of and although they are teens it looks like the lesson has been learned from Diana’s funeral that it is not great to have children walk behind the hearse.

Camilla is still kept gently to a side so as not to cause upset is she not.

JustLyra · 18/04/2021 08:16

I did wonder why it wasn’t more ‘one in, all in’ with the grandchildren. Why just the three oldest?

It wasn’t the three eldest. Zara is older than William and Harry. It was just the only three adult grandsons.

RowanAlong · 18/04/2021 08:16

Zara’s just given birth...and maybe they just didn’t want to!

Sparklingbrook · 18/04/2021 08:16

Peter was probably included to keep the peace between William and Harry

William and Harry were chatting to each other on the walk back up the hill. I don’t think they were going to have a punch up at their grandfather’s funeral to be honest. No peace keeping required. I do not think Peter Phillips was placed between them in case a fight broke out. Confused

ineedaholidaynow · 18/04/2021 08:18

I bet those pall bearers had to practise going up steps holding a coffin a few times. Especially as I think Royal coffins are lead lined.

I assumed it was traditionally only males who walked behind a coffin. Princess Anne walked behind the Queen Mother’s too I think, so bucked the trend.

I assume one of the issues at this funeral would be the fact that they were meant to be social distanced when walking so would have been long procession if most of the females had walked too

JustLyra · 18/04/2021 08:18

@CeeceeBloomingdale

I think it's no more than Anne is only daughter. It's only 3 week since Zara gave birth and Eugenie wasn't much earlier. Peter was probably included to keep the peace between William and Harry and also because he doesn't have a partner so makes that less conspicuous.
Peter was included because he’s a grandson in the exact same way William and Harry are. Same as he was included at the Queen Mother’s funeral because she was his great-granny too.

It had nothing to do with William and Harry. He was between them because, in terms of age, he was senior one in their row.

eaglejulesk · 18/04/2021 08:19

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?

mammmamia · 18/04/2021 08:20

Yeah I was wondering this as well OP but many posters have rightly said it was probably Philip’s wish.

OpusAnglicanum · 18/04/2021 08:20

The rest of the women weren’t there because it’s traditional for only the men to walk behind the coffin. (Think back to Diana’s funeral. That’s why those poor boys were there.)

Princess Anne was, quite rightly, actually breaking tradition. She was especially close to her father.