Their return to school was their highlight of this late summer month, but fate decided otherwise. On the same day, September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. The life of the United Kingdom is turned upside down in the face of this unprecedented announcement, as Her Majesty seemed eternal. The spotlight has since been more than ever on the royal family, its dignity during the various events organized as part of its funeral, but also the tensions, in particular between Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who left two years ago. their royal duties. With the accession of Charles as king, William, eldest son, became the crown prince. The three children he had with Kate, Princess of Wales, are therefore propelled to the front of the stage. A question then quickly surfaced: will the adorable trio be present this Monday, September 19 at the state funeral where the greatest leaders of the world are gathered?
The British media have collectively announced that yes, the children of William and Kate will be present at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. All, no, because little Louis, 4 years old – and therefore considered too young for this event -, will not be present, unlike George, 9 years old and heir after his dad, and Charlotte, 7 years old. The two eldest children of the Prince and Princess of Wales will be part of the march into the church behind the coffin of their illustrious grandmother, but not part of the general procession. The little prince will walk together with their mum and dad, followed by their uncle Harry and aunt Meghan. These will not be accompanied by their two young children, Archie and Lilibet.
A particularly strong moment for such young children. Some draw parallels with the difficulty that William himself had had at the funeral of his mother Diana in 1997. But the context this time is radically different, between a teenage son who suddenly lost his queen, and the worldwide tribute paid to a sovereign of almost a century by her great-grandchildren. Without minimizing the intensity of the event. King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be just behind the coffin, followed by Princess Anne and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, then the Duke of York Andrew, Earl Edward and Countess Sophie of Wessex and finally Kate and William.
Asked about the state of mind of their young children in the face of the death of their “gan gan” – nickname they gave to their grandmother -, Princess Kate had confided while she was in front of the crowd at Sandringham, that they were doing well and that they were being taken care of at school. The eldest, however, is the only one to measure, as much as possible, the seriousness of the news.Freshly installed in the Adelaide Cottage near Windsor, they started their school year in a new and prestigious establishment, Lambrook School.