Will the children go to the funeral?

[bestbefore]

It's often a topic on MN but what do we think about the smaller great-grandchildren attending the Queens funeral? Always a personal choice for parents but this seems so different to a normal GP funeral, I wondered if there was an official etiquette?

I wondered if they might be there but somehow not filmed (don't know how practical that is) or whether they just wouldn't go?

I think the younger ones - everyone younger than Viscount Severn (14) - will not be at the Westminster Abbey funeral. They may well attend a private ceremony at St George's Windsor.

It is too long and formal for little ones. Viscount Severn was in the family seats when the coffin arrived at Westminster Hall, but I didn't see anyone younger

I thought that later, the same evening, The Queen and Prince Philip were going to be moved from the Royal Vault and interred along side George VI, the Queen Mother and the ashes of Princess Margaret in the George VI memorial chapel in St Georges, in a private ceremony.

My DC attended my dads funeral when they were 9 and 13, and MILs when they were 11 and 14. They were given the choice and both said they wanted to, although they didn't come to the crematorium for the first one.
However these were I imagine) much shorter and far less formal than a full state funeral and of course without any media attention! And we all cried (and laughed) and hugged and held hands, openly without (I hope) any judgement or analysis of our behaviour

Maybe the older GGC will attend that but not the under 6s.

Unlikely innit

The only way id take a little un to a funeral would be of i didnt have childcare but they all havr nannies

*Are you not thinking about Edwards children, James and Louis?

I don't remember seeing any of the GGC.*

They were at the memorial but not the funeral.

I would certainly expect to see George at the funeral, and possibly Charlotte

Some of it may also depend on who walks behind the coffin on Monday. It’s a much shorter procession so there may be more family members in it.

The children who attended the memorial service for Prince Philip - Savannah and Isla Philips, Mia Tindall, Prince George and Princess Charlotte - are the only GGC anywhere near old enough to be considered going I think.

But a lot will depend on who walks and the rumours that the granddaughters will join that procession. George and Charlotte would be fine fo go with their mother, but Autumn Philips won’t be with the royal family, Peter will definitely be walking, so depending on what Zara does the Philips girls would need someone to go with.

The logistics must take some amount of working out!

I think it should be no GGC or the oldest 5 should be allowed their own choice. George is hopefully at least three decades from the Crown, no need to ostracise him from his cousins

Ahh!
I don't remember the memorial service but just looked it up I would have been working that day, so never saw it. Hence I don't really remember it.

I very much doubt the little ones will be there, although saying that my dc were 3 when my Dgm passed away and 5 when their Dgf passed, they went to both.

Although this is very different and the world is watching so I think it will be too much for them.

I was also thinking, why Harry & Meghan haven’t brought their dc over yet, surely they would be a welcome distraction for their parents, mine helped me through immensely.

I also think in a 'normal family' George is too young but I think as a future heir there may be some protocol he needs to be there?

He is 9yo for goodness sake, how is that too young for a ‘normal’ funeral? All kids in our families go to funerals with the exception of a small window in the toddler/preschool years. Death is a normal part of life, trying to hide that does no favours. When they are young it’s okay, if the parent is a close relative of the deceased another relative will step in and take over with the baby/child if needed. Once they hit that zooming around and screaming if the jellybean is the wrong colour young child age then there is no point having them there, but by school age they can sit without running around for a ‘normal’ funeral. I agree that the Queens is completely different as it will go on forever so what would be okay for a school age child at a ‘normal’ funeral will not be for this one. Also, if at a ‘normal’ funeral, if a 5yo sits there and picks their nose no one will really care, not like a royal funeral where they will be front page fodder. Given all tue strict protocols for this one, I’d think maybe those who are high school age?

The little ones might be present at the private internment service at Windsor for immediate family only.

On Prince Harry, I think I read that he asked to walk behind when it happened but now regrets how upsetting it was. Then I seem to remember him then saying that he was forced to. Then I read a book that said William and Harry were both reluctant and Philip persuaded them to in case they regretted it later. Has he changed his account? Of course, even if he did agree, there was probably pressure and he wouldn't have known how it would affect him afterwards.

I think walking vs not walking could have lead to regrets.

Philip clearly had no regrets walking behind his sister and family but Philip had a really tough childhood compared to most. If his family didn't have money he'd have ended up with Social Work involved.

Philips childhood was so harsh. There’s a visitor book at Broadlands, home of the Mountbatten family, that he once signed as “no fixed abode”

I was thinking about this. Maybe George will attend as he is an heir. I think they could count on him and the Phillips girls to behave themselves. Possibly even Charlotte as she seems very well behaved. But it’s if they think they’re emotionally mature enough to attend which I personally would say anyone under 12 isn’t.

No chance that Louis or the Sussex children will be allowed to attend.

@JustLyra I had no idea about his background until all the obituaries after he died. Certainly makes me see him in a different light. Yet he never publicly complained or moaned he just seems to have accepted it and made the best of it.
Plenty others would have ended up relying on alcohol or drugs.

I would have thought those 6 and over would attend. Remember though there is a private family funeral at Windsor after the state funeral so they may be at that only.

I expect George and Charlotte will attend, as the heir and the spare. Louis is too young to behave appropriately through the service.

6 seems a young cut off. I would have thought upper primary school is more typical.

I would ‘expect’ George to be there, possibly not Charlotte.

Even George really is too young but as heir, I imagine he'd be in attendance.

The more I think about it and with the comments about Peter Philips girls not having their mum there. The more I think none of the GGC will be at the public services.

I don’t think any will attend. The Phillips girls are the oldest but their dad will be walking in the processions. George is young even if the heir. Mia is young. Charlotte is young. It was reported that Catherine said when asked about the children that George understood but the other two didn’t really as yet (roughly that in haven’t looked up exact wording). So that’s the older ones then the tests are very very young. It’s not even their behaviour as I’m sure the older set would be fine (they all mainly attend church too) it’s their emotions and not having their parents to hand. Their parents will be struggling enough to maintain their own composure throughout id imagine. It’s a very overwhelming event in terms of scale and occasion of course. It’s not like a 7 or 9 year old attending their grandparents funeral at the local church with their family and friends.

I think the first part of Windsor is also being televised so potentially might not attend due to that but then there is a final private section which the older ones might attend. All guess work with the Royals who knows.

Times have changed since Diana too. For everyone not just the Royals. Lots of people now look at the behaviour of the general public at that time and find it odd and strange. At the end of the day it was the media and public that caused the boys to be brought to London in the first place. Everyone should remember that and the role we all played (we are on collective society inc media) in how those children were treated following their mothers death. There were faults on many sides. The public media royalty and the Spencer (eg vilifying their grandparents and dads family during their mothers funeral wouldn’t have help them much). Lots of mistakes.