The nation mourns the loss of Her Majesty The Queen, who has died at the age of 96.
Plans for a state funeral are now being made to bid a proper farewell to the beloved monarch.
While Queen Elizabeth II leaves behind four children, eight grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren, the question arises as to whether the youngest members of the royal family will be present at her funeral.
The royal family has already experienced profound sorrow this year with the passing of the Queen’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, on April 9th at Windsor Castle.
In a heartfelt tribute, Her Majesty, along with her children and grandchildren, bid their final goodbyes to Prince Philip at his funeral on April 17th at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
However, none of his great-grandchildren were in attendance.
Prince Philip’s funeral coincided with a time when the country was under strict social distancing measures.
The UK was in Phase 2 of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Roadmap to Freedom plan, which prohibited indoor gatherings.
If not for these regulations, it is highly likely that many of the Duke’s great-grandchildren would have been present at his funeral, just as they were at his memorial service held at Westminster Abbey on March 29th this year.
During this somber event, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, stood alongside their parents.
Zara and Mike Tyndall’s eldest daughter Mia were also in attendance, as were Peter and Autumn Philip’s children Savannah and Isla, and Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex’s children James Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor.
While there is no official rule forbidding children from attending the funeral of a sovereign, it is conceivable that the youngest members of the royal family may be allowed to remain at home considering the emotional weight of the historic day.
For instance, Prince Louis, the four-year-old son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, may be considered too young to fully comprehend and behave appropriately at the Queen’s funeral.