Prince George at The Queen's funeral?

Anne’s children weren’t heirs to the throne.

M0nica

Gloryanny you obviously would prefer a republic, and you are entitled to that view, but the events over the last ten days have shown how rooted in this country our monarchy is and

I can think of no way that we can have a Royal family if they do not have children and I do not see how we can avoid people wanting to see photographs of the royal children and see them in public.

The Prince of Wales and his wife seem to have done everything they can to limit and control the amount their children are photographed or seen in public, but if they hide them away, then the children will be constantly hounded by papparazzi trying to get photos because that is the only way they can be obtained and I would say that is far worse for the children than their current policy.

It is also sensible for children in this situation to grow up getting used to being seen in public at state occasions because as adults it is going to play a significant part in their lives.

Really M0nica no one can tell what is ahead. Except you can see the timelines. George will probably not inherit until he's 40 or even 50. The other two will be the ones just hanging about with little clear about roles.
It seems a bit unnecessary to introduce him to his future aged 9. It's quite possible to raise children in the RF without publicity. Anne did it very well.
Of course if you want to promote the RF it's slightly different. Nothing like a cute kid to grab the public.

As I understand it there are three bits to the whole event tomorrow?

The State Funeral in Westminster Abbey.
Something in Windsor (?)
The private family interment in St George's Chapel.

The State Funeral is pomp and show, which is what you get for monarchs. Surely the right place for a nine year old to understand what's happened to his gangan is the private family interment?

Gloryanny you obviously would prefer a republic, and you are entitled to that view, but the events over the last ten days have shown how rooted in this country our monarchy is and

I can think of no way that we can have a Royal family if they do not have children and I do not see how we can avoid people wanting to see photographs of the royal children and see them in public.

The Prince of Wales and his wife seem to have done everything they can to limit and control the amount their children are photographed or seen in public, but if they hide them away, then the children will be constantly hounded by papparazzi trying to get photos because that is the only way they can be obtained and I would say that is far worse for the children than their current policy.

It is also sensible for children in this situation to grow up getting used to being seen in public at state occasions because as adults it is going to play a significant part in their lives.

I remember aged 13 I decided not to go to my grandmother’s funeral. Then I changed my mind as I thought if I don’t go I may regret it and it will be too late, whereas if I do go and am upset it is something I will learn to live with.

Personally I think if Prince George is to attend then the state funeral may be better than going to the private funeral where the Queen is interred at Windsor which could be more emotionally upsetting.

There was a time when women and children did not go to funerals. My grandmother never did even for her dh. Times change.

Not quite sure why I deserved that?

I wish I was as clever and perfect as you Lathyrus

Well, yes Blossoming. In the newspaper. Exactly my point.

Just made up?

There are very nasty posters here today......

I feel that if handled correctly, children should know about death and attend funerals.

Yes, the Queen's funeral will be longer than a normal service with all the (rightly in my view) pomp and ceremony but that's what these children are born into and should begin to understand what is involved, even at a tender age.

Death can't be undone, it is a fact of life!

Handled correctly the children will be fine.

My granddaughter, aged three attended her grandfather's funeral and squeezing my hand for attention announced very loudly "Is that grandpa in that box?". She had a question and asked it (if loudly and at an inopportune moment!). She was part of the family and deserved to be there to help her understand that her grandfather had now died. Thereafter she was fine and spoke about him quite happily.

From today’s newspapers -

^Prince William and Kate are considering taking their eldest son, nine year old George, to the Queen's funeral at the request of senior advisors.
The new Prince and Princess of Wales have been told it will send a "powerful and symbolic" message.
Aides have told his parents that seeing the young Prince attend the funeral of the late monarch - whom he affectionately called "Gan Gan", would be good for the public.^

This is similar the argument that the government of the day used to urge the RF to agree to Harry’s participation in his mother’s funeral procession and that hasn’t exactly turned out well. Apparently they thought there could be a bad reaction to Prince Charles’s presence and Harry would be a distraction.

Glorianny

Do you suppose in 20+years one of those children might possibly be saying "I went because it seemed to be what was expected of me, but it haunts me to this day?"
Just wondering.

On the other hand, in 20+ years they could equally be saying "I wanted to go but they wouldn't let me, so I never did say a proper goodbye to my beloved greatgrandmother. I had to stay at home with a nanny"

Hmmmm difficult 1.... we are talking about the Royal family here which is worlds away from Joe Public, so I am presuming its an appropriate thing to do !

because of the thousands of people coming to file past the catafalque over several days it has all had to be 'stage managed' so to speak, with the Queen's children keeping vigil on two seperate days then the grandchildren keeping vigil That has all gone so well that it has now been suggested that William and Kate bring George to the funeral, . the public will like that.! I think it's right that he should attend....

the very small Great grandchildren were in Westminster hall the other day.with their parents the grandchildren. Peter's two savannah and Isla and zara's mia and lena yet yet we haven't seen George.

Lathyrus

Of course we do all know that this will have already been discussed and decided probably some time ago and that it’s just being whipped up by a press who have run out of things to print.

Don’t we?

Yes we do. And GN and MN have a good set of examples of the reactions they hoped to whip up, complete with the unpleasant comments.

Lathyrus

Of course we do all know that this will have already been discussed and decided probably some time ago and that it’s just being whipped up by a press who have run out of things to print.

Don’t we?

Yes

Likewise on Gransnet

His parents decision and I'm sure it's been given plenty of thought.

Of course we do all know that this will have already been discussed and decided probably some time ago and that it’s just being whipped up by a press who have run out of things to print.

Don’t we?

wish there was a "like" button.Well said * Glorianny*

MerylStreep

Glorianny

I would imagine at least one of the children will be paraded, after all that seems to be one of their functions doesn't it? Show the public how cute the next generation of royals are. Perhaps it's a way of drawing attention away from the dysfunctional adults.

You really do take the bloody biscuit.
Inside your head must be a terrible place to be.

Well if thinking that all children, regardless of who their parents are, need protection and care, rather than exposure and exploitation, is terrible, then I guess it is.
But it would be much more terrible if I believed it was OK for children to be brought up in a goldfish bowl, and used to prop up an outdated and crumbling organisation.

Glorianny

I would imagine at least one of the children will be paraded, after all that seems to be one of their functions doesn't it? Show the public how cute the next generation of royals are. Perhaps it's a way of drawing attention away from the dysfunctional adults.

You really do take the bloody biscuit.
Inside your head must be a terrible place to be.

It's a very long day for them, if they do go.

I'm sure that Prince William will know what is best fr George and Charlotte having been through the ordeal of his mother's funeral which was being broadcast to the world.

I didn’t take our daughters to my husband’s funeral, they were
5 and 7 years. Police escort, police lining the streets and their
tribute at the grave, too much for them. Later in the day the
three of us went to his grave and we talked about death and
our faith.

M0nica

Glorianny In 20 years time they could just as easily deeply regret and feel quite bitter that they were not allowed to go to their great grandmother's funeral.

No one can tell how any individual, young or old, will react to a particular event in 20 years time, least of all the individual involved.

I'm sure should they wish to it would be quite possible for the RF to arrange a time for any of the children involved to have some private time mourning their great grandmother and paying their respects. That's a great deal different to attending a state funeral. One of the criticisms often made on these threads is of celebrities who use or involve their children in publicity or promotions, to my mind that is exactly what the RF do, but because they are royal it's different.

My thoughts exactly Ginny