Prince George at The Queen's funeral?

I don't think the children have been paraded and for all we know, just wanted to be there to say their goodbyes to 'Gan Gan' as they affectionately called her

All the children have behaved impressively.

Absolutely agree GrannyLaine the Prince &Princess of Wales I am confident will only do what they feel is right for their children. Their royal role has to be a consideration.

Mollygo

Attending a grandparent’s funeral is like being sent up a chimney or going down the mines then Glorianny.

That’s truly one of your best.

Arrogant post Gloriana who are you to know better than the parents or anyone else?

Forgive me I think it is very sad that anyone whatever their birth or position should have their whole life mapped out for them at the age of 9 or even less. I don't think spending 50 years hanging around waiting for someone to die is a good future for any child. I may be a republican but actually I find the expectations royalists put onto others rather disturbing. I don't know why they imagine it is OK. It's something I really can't comprehend.

We have to hope that when George finds himself in the position of taking on the throne, things will have changed and he will have some choice.

In the meantime he has been at an interesting historic event - with lovely music and lots of colour, horses and things to see. Better to be there than at the committal I think.

rafichagran

Mollygo

Attending a grandparent’s funeral is like being sent up a chimney or going down the mines then Glorianny.

That’s truly one of your best.

Arrogant post Gloriana who are you to know better than the parents or anyone else?

I believe some of the parents who sent children down mines and certainly some of those whose children were exploited by the entertainment industry thought exactly the same thing. It's a common misconception that all parents didn't want their children down mines. Some were sent down early, just before the act which would have prevented their recruitment was passed, because if they were down there already, they were exempt. As for the entertainment industry the examples are numerous. But Royals know best.

Callistemon21

^I don't think the children have been paraded and for all we know, just wanted to be there to say their goodbyes to 'Gan Gan' as they affectionately called her^

All the children have behaved impressively.

Indeed they did, lovely.

Gloriana Comparing children going down mines and the Royal children going to their Grans funeral is ridiculous.
If you truly believe that your mind works differently than mine.

JaneJudge

snowberryZ

I don't think he should go.
He always looks miserable and tired when he's attended other events.
Of course the poor little mite could just have a naturally 'sad' expression. Some people do.

this made me laugh

I think he does naturally have a sad expression. I have one too, so people are always telling me to cheer up, when I'm perfectly happy! He also has shadows around his eyes, but his paternal great grandad (George VI) have those, also Great Uncle Edward XIII did too.
As for them going to a state funeral, I am hoping that their parents will have talked them through the whole procedure and decided their attendance is preferable to them being elsewhere and worrying about what was happening. Maybe there is a Nanny, or Catherine's mum, around in case they became too upset. I hope so anyway.

The Royals, in this case the Prince and Princess of Wales, do know best when it comes to their children, Glorianny. There is no way they would have forced George and Charlotte into attending the funeral if they had not wanted to. I bet there were gentle discussions and joint decisions made. And no way does the word 'paraded' come into their being at the funeral today. They were simply quietly there, with their parents.
Your comparisons with children up chimney's etc is very strange.

henetha

The Royals, in this case the Prince and Princess of Wales, do know best when it comes to their children, Glorianny. There is no way they would have forced George and Charlotte into attending the funeral if they had not wanted to. I bet there were gentle discussions and joint decisions made. And no way does the word 'paraded' come into their being at the funeral today. They were simply quietly there, with their parents.
Your comparisons with children up chimney's etc is very strange.

Indeed.

Different that I believe I'd have chosen, but I'm not them. Parents attempt to do best with their own children.

Why is there no "like" clicker-button. I like your post.

After the funeral, in the car and at Wellington Arch they looked quietly happy and were whispering to each other in the way children their age do when attending adult only (almost) events.

I agree it should be the parents’ decision. I’m not completely convinced that in this case the parents can do exactly as they like. There are advisors and protocols to be followed. Sadly, the children have to be part of the overall machine. And I think they are often used to keep the public happy. They’re great PR and it’s naive to think otherwise.

When my dds were 10 and 11 their adored uncle died at 46. It never occurred to me not to take them to his funeral. They were mature enough to assume they were going and would have been heartbroken not to go mainly to support their cousins of the same age. An hour later they were playing in the pub garden where the wake was held with them.

I think it’s only right for children to attend funerals, I attended one where a little tot was dancing in the aisles to some upbeat music being played. Obviously this one was uber formal and on a grand scale, but all the more reason for them to be there. I would have thought the parents could have held their hands when walking in though.

Well I’ve been to a funeral today as I mentioned earlier. There were children there too.
I’ve got a lot to catch up on now, though I can watch without all the taking in between parts of the service.
This Nightowl
Sadly, the children have to be part of the overall machine. And I think they are often used to keep the public happy. They’re great PR and it’s naive to think otherwise.
So you’ve just managed to blame the parents and the public.
A bit arrogant of you to think your opinion matters more than that of any parents when it comes to their children.
I still can’t see William and Catherine saying, “We’d better make them go to keep the public happy.”
Maybe you could allow that the children might have wanted to be part of the goodbye to their grandmother.
Not just that, but also the funeral will be a topic of conversation in school for a while. What child does not like to say “I was there”? Many of the children in the queue will be glad to say they took part, without feeling they were being paraded for the public.

Oh for goodness sake Mollygo have I upset you in some way? You seem determined to misconstrue what I’ve said for some reason. Not very nice of you to call me arrogant, I find it strange that people can be so rude on here just because someone expresses an opinion they don’t agree with.

Arrogant-Naive pick the word that you consider rude Nightowl.
How have I misconstrued what you said?
* I find it strange that people can be so rude on here just because someone expresses an opinion they don’t agree with.*
I do too.

I didn’t say you were naive though Mollygo did I, whereas you did call me arrogant. You have completely misconstrued my earlier posts, or just not bothered to read them properly. Anyway, you clearly have a bee in your bonnet about me so I’ll leave you to it.

I’m sorry for your loss Mollygo. ?

I didn’t say you were arrogant, but that what you said was. Obviously you have misconstrued my posts. You actually identified anyone who didn’t share your opinion as naive.

Thank you Norah. I appreciate your 'like'.

I agree they should go.I was reluctant to allow my grandchildren to go to my fathers funeral but my son in law pointed out he was very distressed when he was not allowed to go to his grandmothers funeral . He has never forgotten it . We left it up to the children to decide.

That's interesting, cornergran, I wanted to go to my grandmother's funeral, I was six and she was my only grandparent. I was also "fobbed off" on kind local friends. I too was collected after the service and joined everyone at the gathering afterwards.
I still feel cross about it today.

I had actually been present in the room when my grandmother died (unexpectedly) as she was sitting quietly with me at the table when she just quietly slipped to the floor.

I had seen her dead. I should have gone.

nightowl how do you bring children like that up, without them inevitably being in the news when any family event, and the funeral of a beloved great grandmother, is world news.

As I have said before. If the Prince and Princess of Wales didn't let their children be seen in public at carefully selected moments, they would just be harrassed and followed everywhere by the papparazzi - and we all know what happen last time when the papparazzi were uncontrolled.