Prince George at The Queen's funeral?

He's hardl likely to be on Gransnet ...that would be a worry for a nine year old.
Republicans come in all guises ,guess what most of us are nice ,family loving folk .We just dont believe that a hereditary Monarchy is superior to us in any way shape or form and thatpublic money could be better spent .
The North Korean approach to this week will turn many more into republicans .We're told to mourn for a set time have the queen wall to wall on tv and radio , even had a minutes silence imposed on us tonight .
Whether we are republicns or not many are finding all this way OTT. I went shopping this afternoon..there was even a bloody announcement over the tannoy abou their condolences on OUR behalf to the RF .

I have friends who are closing their businesses tomorrow simply because they'll get abuse from the OO which is active in their area if they open !
We wouldn't put our kids in the public spotlight not even on FB never mind at a family funeral seen by the entire world .
Next week they'll be talking about the lack of privacy ....or keeping a distance fron the young people in the RF...and rightly so .BUT ...this is exactly wht Diana did ..she manipulated the press to suit herself and then cried abuse by them .
Maybe they need new PR officers !!

Westminster Abbey is going to be packed with adults invited for what they are rather than who they are, and I am sure it will be a splendid state occasion, and interminably boring for young children.

The best place for the Queen's great-grandchildren is the family service at St. George's Windsor, and their parents can decide which ones should attend.

Let's get this clear I have no objection to children attending funerals. My eldest went to his GF's aged 10. What I object to is subjecting a child to the stresses of a public state funeral where they will not be able to behave as children do, but will have to maintain a certain composure and bearing. That this will be filmed and photographed so that in future years the child will see it again and again, and it will be scrutinised and criticised by the public and media people. And that this is all done to maintain the image of a family whose popularity is steadily waning. How anyone could subject a child to that I don't know, and no child of 9 can possibly understand all of the ramifications, so asking them is ridiculous. The child's future prospects do not mean he isn't entitled to protection and proper care and consideration. I may be a republican, but I am also concerned with the proper treatment of children whatever their family circumstances.
I find the idea that it's OK to involve children in these things because their family is royal absolutely unacceptable. And I could be very rude about those posters who think it is OK but actually I have better manners.

Lathyrus

You couldn’t care less about a nine year old. You’re just using him.

Be honest with yourself even if you have to keep up the facade on here.

Avoiding personal comment? You mean like the one blossoming made about me? Or didn’t that count.

Or the very personal comments about George’s family. They don’t count either? Because they’re Royals and Republicans can say whatever they like about them.

People who are so anxious about protecting a child don’t hesitate to abuse the people he loves on a public forum.

Like I say hypocrisy or self delusion?

I absolutely do agree Lathyrus
Prince George is indeed being used, by republican posters not by the RF. The boy is part of the family and in line to the throne after his Father, and nine is not too young to attend a funeral in any case.It is not his Mother or Grandma who has died, but a very old person, his Great Grandma.
Children are very accepting of death, when the relative is old.
It is up to his parents which part of the funeral to take him to.

The North Korean approach to this week will turn many more into republicans

I thought you just criticised the North Korean approach on another thread?
Or is this a criticism of republicanism?

To those comparing Diana’s funeral with tomorrow’s events, there is a world of difference between walking at length behind your very close beloved mother’s coffin on a gun carriage after the shock of her sudden death and what I would envisage for Prince George.
If he does attend, it will be for a long lived great grandmother in the company of both parents, both conscious of his sensitivity.

I would imagine the most poignant and affecting moment for the children would be the close proximity to the slow lowering of the coffin in St.George’s Chapel into the vault, as happened for Prince Philip.
That could make more impression than the formal state ceremony.

Apparently George and Charlotte are both going.

well it's been announced; the eldest two are going.

Glorianny

Let's get this clear I have no objection to children attending funerals. My eldest went to his GF's aged 10. What I object to is subjecting a child to the stresses of a public state funeral where they will not be able to behave as children do, but will have to maintain a certain composure and bearing. That this will be filmed and photographed so that in future years the child will see it again and again, and it will be scrutinised and criticised by the public and media people. And that this is all done to maintain the image of a family whose popularity is steadily waning. How anyone could subject a child to that I don't know, and no child of 9 can possibly understand all of the ramifications, so asking them is ridiculous. The child's future prospects do not mean he isn't entitled to protection and proper care and consideration. I may be a republican, but I am also concerned with the proper treatment of children whatever their family circumstances.
I find the idea that it's OK to involve children in these things because their family is royal absolutely unacceptable. And I could be very rude about those posters who think it is OK but actually I have better manners.

Your opinion carries no more weight than anybody else’s Glorianny, so you would in any case be wasting your breath being unnecessarily rude about other posters.

I didn't let my own children attend their grandmothers funeral. At 6 and 9 they went to school as usual. However my own children let my grandchildren attend their grandfathers funeral and I think it was better than what I did. Although some were young they were very accepting and they saw closure. I forgot think a State Funeral is very long time for a 9 year old though, it does depend on the individual child and his parents are so good with them they will do what's right.

I'm sure that William and Kate, in discussion with George and Charlotte, have made the decision that is best for the children. This is a parenting decision that I'm sure has been made with love and care for the children. Not our concern.

The royal family and the country will say a “last farewell” to Queen Elizabeth II during a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday in which nine-year-old Prince George and his seven-year-old sister, Princess Charlotte, will walk behind their great-grandmother’s coffin. George and Charlotte, now second and third in line to the throne, will follow their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, as the coffin is carried through the abbey in front of a 2,000-strong congregation including world leaders

It would be very good if both George and Charlotte attended the state funeral. They need this as much as the close family. They will cope and remember this all their lives and should not be deprived

When did children start attending funerals?
When DH died out eldest DGC came and read poems.
When my own DF died, I was 5 and I certainly did not go to any funeral but had a hard time accepting he had died.
DGM could remember her own mother's cortège going past the window and whoever was with the 9 yr old saying "wave your mother goodbye dear"
It will always be poignant the last sighting of a loved one but I can't see how the Queen's very public funeral will be different from any other public occasion so why not go along if they want to.

Grammaretto

When did children start attending funerals?
When DH died out eldest DGC came and read poems.
When my own DF died, I was 5 and I certainly did not go to any funeral but had a hard time accepting he had died.
DGM could remember her own mother's cortège going past the window and whoever was with the 9 yr old saying "wave your mother goodbye dear"
It will always be poignant the last sighting of a loved one but I can't see how the Queen's very public funeral will be different from any other public occasion so why not go along if they want to.

Chdren have always attended funerals in our family....from around age 7......just like weddings and christenings are family events for us....so are funerals .....obviously this funeral will be on a bigger scale...but already these children have attended 'big occasions'.....I'm sure their parents know their children best

My 3 grandsons, aged 15 and twins aged 9, escorted their grandfather's coffin at his funeral last April. They were asked if they would like to join the adult men of the family to act as bearers.
Everything was explained to them and we had a plan B in place if the twins changed their minds.
They fulfilled their roles impeccably. There were tears but they knew it was OK to cry and they were not to worry.
My 10 month old granddaughter also attended. She spent most of the time waving at the priest.

I know Prince George and Princess Charlotte will be taking part in a very public funeral but I agree with Grammaretto.
The Prince and Princess are used to very grand public occasions.

I think I read somewhere that the funeral will be televised on the understanding that there will be no close ups of the Royal family's faces. Maybe somebody on here can confirm that?

Well for what it’s worth I agree with Glorianny and I think she’s had some pretty rude comments from people who seem to be either misunderstanding or misconstruing her posts. I respect William and Catherine and I’m sure they will have made what they think is the right decision for their children. I am surprised because I thought William would want to protect his children from the experience he had when his mother died, but I believe he is a very loving father so must have given great consideration to his children’s welfare.

What I’m most disappointed about is that it seems another generation of royal children is being used to somehow appease the public. Are we really that shallow that we need children to comfort us in some way? That’s exactly how William and Harry were used after their mother’s death and it was disgraceful. I think perhaps they should have been at the private service rather than the public one. But let’s see, maybe they will only be there for a short time.

I imagine that Charlotte said if he's going then I'm going.

Daisymae

I imagine that Charlotte said if he's going then I'm going.

That's exactly what I thought!

William has said he was asked if he wanted to walk behind the
coffin, Harry did because his brother did,

Any trauma was surely caused by the public screaming and
wailing

The children are only doing the bit when they walk down the aisle. They are children who are used to going to church and they are used to crowds, totally different to parachuting a child in who isn't used to these things. They will also probably be fascinated by the pageantry and ritual,
I know my son, aged 5 at the time, was very curious about what was happening when he attended my mother's funeral. He was also used to going to church and sitting still and quiet. He did nearly fall in the grave as it was pouring with rain, and he was determined to get a look in the hole. I had to grab his collar and steer him away; my Mum would have found it hilarious. My older ones also went (then aged 7 and 9) and would have been very disappointed to have been denied the opportunity to say an official goodbye to a much-loved granny.

What I’m most disappointed about is that it seems another generation of royal children is being used to somehow appease the public.
What a strange comment, Nightowl. Where did you get that idea from?
I’m trying to picture two scenarios.
William and Catherine
“Yes of course you can attend the funeral to appease the public.”
Or
“No you can’t go to the funeral because it might offend some of the public.”
Both equally unlikely.
I wonder how you’d feel if people criticised your decisions about who should attend the funeral of a close family member.

I think the walk behind the coffin will be so very public, I just feel this is too much for George and Charlotte. Maybe just the service itself.

They are protective parents and Prince William knows exactly how following a coffin feels having walked behind his mother’s coffin . I doubt very much the children have been made to do this, they would have been given the choice I’m sure. However its not going to stop people expressing how awful it is.