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?

My DCs have been attending family funerals since they were small. Death is part of life

The private family funeral afterwards fine.
The state funeral that is for the media and public, no.

W&K would not have taken both of their eldest children had they not thought they would manage. Get a grip.

The children were certainly old enough to go and to understand what was happening. I'm getting so fed up with all the "why are they doing this, why are they doing that, how very dare they?" stuff. People inventing motives for people they don't know from Adam.

Poor little mite. he's probably seen hundreds of animals killed and dying in front of him now, since he apparently has been going on hunts since the age of 5. At an age when most kids want to make friends with animals and read stories about them. This is just another step in the toughening up process. Yes, I know it's a way of life and he's got to learn how to be royal, but I feel sorry for him all the same.

Having been through trauma himself and being aware of the issues I highly doubt William would have taken George if he wasn’t sure his son would be able to cope with it.

I thought both the Wales children did incredibly well. In hindsight I think the service at Windsor would have been more than enough.

Oh jeez. It’s NOT about him! This whole funeral is not about any ordinary old lady passing away. I’m sure in another life none of the queens children would be wanting to be watched by billions of people attending their mothers funeral.
It’s not about them. It’s not about William or the children or even Elizabeth. The crown comes first, second and third. The tradition and duty and service come first. Why don’t people realise this? If the children can possibly manage then they will be expected to, particularly George. It’s not an ordinary family where the individuals needs might come first. That’s the pay off. You don’t matter so much as a human. The crown matters.

I thought they were brilliant, and it was clear that their parents know them well, and knew they'd handle it.

It is an occasion they will remember for the rest of their lives.

His sister was there too, wasn’t she?

Where do these stories come from? It’s in the Daily Mail so it must be true 🙄

I really don't believe George and Charlotte, or Will and Kate, had any say in the matter at all.

Attendance at major royal events is mandatory for all heirs. George has been trained since birth to put duty first and been moulded to his pre-destined life. He won't get the freedom to make any kind of major life choices for himself and that's why the training and moulding starts from a young age.

Nothing to do with whether children should attend funerals or not. They could have attended the private funeral. This was about optics and duty.

Duty above all things.

I think you're very wrong. I also think that William has a lot of power, and would use it to protect his children if he felt it necessary.

Times change.

There's a massive charm offensive going on atm. These two kids are wheeled out as part of that, just as they were today. Every time Twitter trends with another negative story about William, the next day sure as eggs are eggs out they come with the kids holding their hands in a happy family display. I hope that George is being brought up with a there-may-be-no-throne-for-you-son angle, because this lot look to be on borrowed time. They'll still be crazy rich, may well be happier. Win win for everyone.

Absolutely, @ajandjjmum
There is no way William or Kate would have let their children attend today's events if they thought they wouldn't have coped well with it, regardless of expectation.
As you say, times have changed. Remember for their wedding? When William went to the Queen to say that he and Kate didn't know any of the dignitaries invited (as protocol dictated)? She told him to scrap the list and start again, with their own wishes going first.

I think it is terrible to put a 9 year old through all that.
But then again, I also think that all the pomp and circumstance around the death of the Queen has been completely over the top. I think it has been an ordeal for the whole royal family and plenty of others besides. I would never want to live a royal life. It’s all ridiculous. But I know that’s a very unpopular opinion.

Their mums funeral was an entirely different kettle of fish to attending your great grandmothers.

It’s part of his training for when it’s his turn!!

Can you give me a couple of examples of this, as I genuinely haven't noticed. I know that Kate and William have been fairly sparing in the exposure of their children, and normally they are taken along to events that they would have an interest in. I've never seen it as a counterbalance to any negative press, as you suggest. Thanks.

I don't see that it's anyone's business other than the children's parents, whoever they are. I certainly don't appreciate being told what is best for my children. I think people giving unwanted and unasked for opinions and advice is more harmful than parents doing what they believe is right thing. I watched the whole funeral and saw no 'media circus' or anything that warranted raising concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of the Queen's great grandchildren. They appeared at ease and incredibly well behaved. Of course funerals are 'triggering' for the vast majority of us - many people have lost loved ones in all kinds of traumatic and heartbreaking circumstances. Death, and the paraphernalia that accompanies death, is a natural part of life. Shielding children from this is, in my opinion, misguided and harmful. The Queen's great grandchildren witnessed their parents and wider family honouring their GGM in a dignified and loving ceremony. What could be more natural than that?

I think that’s just your wishful thinking there.
They will be around for many generations after you have long gone.
If the last 10 days hasn’t shown you that then you have your head in the sand.

After seeing both services today I think the one at Windsor was beautiful and there was no need for the one at Westminster.

Sure, here's just the most recent example. Check out the William pegging/ further affairs stuff and then trace how long it took before the kids were photographed in public doing happy family things.

I don't believe it's wishful thinking at all. I may well be more realistic then you. Time will tell.

I think actually they were a good age. Old enough to understand enough, but young enough that joining in makes them feel grown up and the pomp and ceremony exciting rather than a bore.

When dd was 5yo her beloved great grandma died. She chose to come along to the funeral, and it was the right decision for her. I can say with confidence that if it had happened when ds was 5yo he would have chosen to stay behind, and it would have been the right decision for him.

William and Kate are parents, just like me, just like most of you. They are making decisions for their children, and it will make it far easier for them to make the right decision if they don't see this sort of thing picked over on the internet/press.
Let's trust them to make the right decisions for their children-and if sometimes they do make a wrong one in our opinion, well, I've no doubt all of us have sometimes made wrong decisions for our children but with the best of intent, so we're all in that same boat.