George and Charlotte in the procession today

[Highover]

I’ve just read that George and Charlotte are going to be in the funeral procession today. I’m a bit gobsmacked. Why would their family want them involved in the spectacle? I thought they wanted them to have a ‘normal’ life. Am I alone in feeling uncomfortable with this?
IABU it’s right and proper that they attend their great granny’s funeral
IANBU Young children have no place at any funeral let alone this massive event. They should be at home with their Nanny.

I feel sorry for Louis. He always seems to be left in the shadows. I think it should’ve been all three or none at all

He’s four years old and a little ratbag. It would be a mess having him there and I’m sure neither of the others would be if they were also four.

Why is navy better than black?

It is really normal for children of around their age to go to funerals, wearing formal black or dark clothes.

Do you have kids OP? Would you not let them go to a funeral if they wanted?

My youngest ds is outraged on behalf of Louis because he's not allowed to be there. Poor youngest kids always miss out.

I would have to have taken him even aged 4, because he would still be saying to me when he's 25 "you didn't let me go, it's not fair". It would have been all of them or none of them even at that age for us, then I'd have to have sat through a state funeral feeding a 4 yr old sweeties.

Yet another reason to be glad I'm not in the Royal Family.

“I thought they wanted them to have a ‘normal’ life.”

This is their normal life.

Isn't this just par for the course when you're the youngest sibling? He's 4. They're 9 and 7. I think it's very obvious why he's "left in the shadows" on formal occasions. I'm sure George and Charlotte wouldn't have attended at 4 either.

I think they should attend the funeral, but perhaps watching from balcony/ behind a screen. I felt uncomfortable watching them in the procession inside church, but at least it meant they could be with their parents

My word but people are a bit mental. My kids went to their first funeral at 4,5 and 10. ( a good friend's beloved daughter). We go to the memorial every year.

My 10 year old's favourite colour is black and has been for 3 or 4 years.

These children will be at mega events for the rest of their lives, so normalise it.

It was their great grandmother.

All normal reasons for them to be there, in appropriate clothing

YABU - if nothing else it was done for practicality of having the children be with their parents.

Both George and Charlotte are old enough to attend and understand the funeral, but because of their rank - as 2nd and 3rd in line to the throne - as well as their relationship to the Queen they have specific seating as do William and Catherine and the rest of the royal family. If they didn't process with their parents then they would either:

A) have had to be seated alone while everyone around them walked in, which is not something I would be happy with, having two children sitting alone with no support; or

B) have had to sit elsewhere with a nanny/Middleton's etc which would have caused more of a debate about people saying that they should have been with their parents if the were going to attend; or

C) not attend - which isn't fair on them if they want to attend but are told no because of logistics rather than because they aren't ready.

It was obvious at the jubilee that he is not yet ready or able to sit appropriately for long periods of time as the older two are, and I'm sure the whole family are painfully aware of how the slips made by a fed up, tired four year old were vigorously exploited by the media and online. Seven is perfectly old enough for a family funeral if the child is mature enough and wishes to, and this is their family and it's going to be their life. I keep looking at those little choirboys and the discipline they have and the hours of training involved; no wiggling, no chatting, no getting distracted and they're performing perfectly. It's not much different in expectation.

I went to my mums funeral at 6, my brother 8. I dont remember much about it other than making jokes about zombies. I could imagine my dad struggling to get through it without his children.

My grandads funeral had all grandchildren and great grandchildren ranging from 20s-1 year old. Young children don't fully understand but can also be a support/distraction for struggling adults

I dont think it will scar them. By reading this thread people seem more upset by being stopped going.

They will never have a normal life due to the family they are in. DS was 2 and my Mother insisted he attend her partners funeral, he did have to be taken out which had been agreed on in advance. As he was dying in a hospice we visited and him laughing at DS playing in the garden was one of the last times he was able to walk and talk, he really loved his little step grandson. He didn’t have any grandchildren of his own. One of his children had died when in their early twenties and his other DS had profound learning difficulties.

They can't do right, can they.

If they weren't there, the threads would have read "AIBU to think at least George should be at the funeral".

They know their great grandmother has died. They know what it means. They've shown they are capable of sitting in church for an hour and I'm certain their parents decided they'd manage to process. I'm also certain they were asked. Dd2 was 10 when my df died. We gave her the choice to attend his funeral, which she did.

They don’t need your ‘concern’ OP. This literally has nothing to do with you.

Depends on the child surely? My 7 year old was fine and a real comfort to me and my nana.

@brookstar

Not sure a 7 year old should be comforting adults but as you have pointed out; it's all down to the individual child and the family.

The choristers who are singing in front of a global audience of billions today are not much older than Charlotte and some will be younger than George.

Totally up to William and Catherine.

The children's parents have made the decision based on their knowledge of their kids understanding- they know the kids best hence Louis not attending.

Kate is very sensible, she would have asked them if they wanted to attend and spoken to them about it. They were only in the church procession not outside.
I think its healthy to involve children in death not try to hide it all away.

I was literally thinking that. I don't think the probationers are there, but there will certainly be 9 year olds.

Not sure you've understood - someone (or even something), can be a comfort to someone, without having to do anything to actually comfort them. I don't think the aforementioned 7yo was having to provide emotional support and tissues 🙄

This! They are remarkable.

YABU my DD is 9 and randomly said yesterday she wanted to be with me when I died as dad is older and he would probably die first. They know more than we think. She was thinking about it because of the Queens death. My DD would be upset if she was excluded from a funeral. Death is a normal part of life and should be talked about more openly in the UK. If people talked about it more they are more likely to plan ahead and have the death they want. I'm passionate about this working in pallative care.

Why isn't Louis there ? I'm assuming he might be too you and too bored to keep still 🤷‍♀️

No, I think they are old enough and mature enough to attend the ceremony, hence why Louie was not there because he's too young..

Not sure you've understood - someone (or even something), can be a comfort to someone, without having to do anything to actually comfort them. I don't think the aforementioned 7yo was having to provide emotional support and tissues 🙄

Exactly. My nana says just seeing my DS helped her through the day.

He wasn't physically doing the comforting 🙄