Prince George and the Queen's funeral

[KTKismet]

Can't sleep and read this:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11222927/Prince-William-Princess-Kate-considering-taking-9-year-old-George-Queens-funeral.html

AIBU to think "palace aides" should wind their necks in and leave Prince George alone, rather than insisting he attends the queen's funeral.

He has a lifetime of service ahead of him, surely they should preserve his childhood as long as possible. I think it's hugely inappropriate, AIBU?

I think he should go if he wants to. We need to be more honest with children about death.

My child was a similar age when my dad died, she didn't attend the funeral itself but did attend the memorial service. George shouldn't be at the state funeral but should attend the family service at St Georges Chapel when the Queen is properly laid to rest. It's not death he should be protected from but the cameras.

Realistically, he won't have had that much of a relationship with his great-grandmother to be traumatised by her now absence in his life. If anything it's probably a nice introduction to "death" for him because all the pomp and ceremony around this one will be a distraction.

William and Kate will decide what's best for George

It should be up to his parents. It’s not about shielding him from death but shielding him from the cameras. At 9yo he may be upset and cry, and then have the footage of him crying follow him for the rest of his life. Get teased at school, etc. not fair.

It's up to the parents, who know their child best, to decide.
I can't imagine William and Kate letting William go to the funeral if they didn't think it was in his best interests.

They want him there to 'reassure the nation of the order of succession'?? What the actual 🤬

I agree we don't need to shield children from death as much as we do but come on. Parading a 9 year old to 'reassure the nation' about something we already know is just plain ridiculous. I'm hardly going to be worrying about the state of the monarchy if they decide a 9 year old having to sit through a state funeral is too much and only take him to the private service later. In fact I'd respect them for it.

The problem is the media and public attention, crowds, pomp, rather than the fact it is a funeral.
I think generally children at funerals is a good thing- kids can learn that death is part of life. But not in this case.
My own children attended a funeral at 2 and 4- and all was fine.
I am of Irish descent and tradition was to have deceased relatived lying in an open coffin in the front room for days before the funeral.
Before I was 10 I saw several deceased family members, including two grandparents and attended a few funerals all my cousins did tthe same.
Kids can accept these things easier than we think, and in fact hiding death from children can create problems.

I agree his mum and dad know him best, they will decide.

Queen Elizabeth attended the state funeral of her grandfather. There are photos and film ( I think )

@KTKismet im more alarmed you believe anything written in that horror publication. Everyone needs to stop lining their horrible pockets by reading it (imo of course)

I don't think children should be shielded from death.

However, he does not need to be. There is a private service at Windsor on Sunday evening. He could pay his respects there, in private, without any of us knowing.

Why wouldn’t he go to the funeral? He’s second in line to the throne and at 9 years old I think he was aware that his 96 year old great granny wouldn’t be around for ever.

He’s 9. I would have assumed he would attend the funeral of his great grandmother. But maybe he’ll just be at the committal in Windsor.

I am sure he'll be at the private family service that evening. He may well be at the smaller service at St Georges this afternoon.

Adding the third - massive, filled with dignitaries - seems too much.

I think cut odd after the grandchildren for the State Funeral, great grandchildren at Winsdor only, depending on age and inclination

Funerals of all types are family occasions, even this one with the extra guests. I think it's entirely up to his parents which elements of the funeral he should attend, if any. I don't know the boy, nor how he reacts to different situations, nor his wishes, so it's impossible to comment. I doubt strongly that his parents would do anything they didn't feel was in his interests.

agree with this.

I’m sure William and Kate will make the right decision. Prince George may have requested to go.

I agree in not hiding children away from death and funerals. George wouldn’t be walking behind a coffin, he would be attending the service as a guest. Perhaps the Windsor service is more suitable

@Teddletoddle not quite the same media circus though

It's not the funeral that would be difficult for him though, it's the extremely public nature of it. This is a really sad occasion and I think at the tender age of 9 he might need sone home comfort after losing his great grandmother.

This is not like taking a child to a family funeral.

My daughter had been to the funerals of 2 of her grandparents by the time she was 7. I think children at funerals are a good thing. I wouldn’t make a 9 year old sit through this.

The Palace aides have a job. That job is to advise the family on things like optics.
The optics being we have several hundred years of monarchy to look forward to. No thanks. I'm not a republican and have great respect for the Queen and new King,'s public service. However I cannot stand these hidden courtiers who are more royal than the royals, manipulating public opinion this way. Take George to the chapel at Windsor castle to say goodbye out of the public eye.

It's a media circus and no child should be make time go to something like this to 'reassure the nation'.

Wtf.

The nation do not need 'reassurance' in the form of a child being paraded about.

If his parents decide he is able to cope with it, and he himself wants to go, then he should go. If not, then he shouldn't have to go.

Yep, this.