Prince George and Princess Charlotte join parents to walk behind Queen’s coffin at funeral

Watch: Queen’s children and grandchildren walk behind coffin at funeral

Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined their parents to walk behind the Queen’s coffin at her funeral today.

George, nine, and Charlotte, seven, accompanied Kate, William, Meghan and Harry and other Royal Family members to walk down the nave behind their great-grandmother’s coffin in Westminster Abbey at the start of the service.

Prince Louis, four, wasn’t in attendance due to his young age.

Prince George wore a smart dark navy suit to honour his great-grandmother, and his sister, Princess Charlotte, wore a formal coat dress with a wide-brimmed flat-top hat.

The two young royals were praised for their “immaculate” appearance by BBC news anchor Huw Edwards, who is leading the channel’s coverage of the Queen’s funeral.

The children, like the rest of British pupils today, weren’t required to be at their new school near Ascot today due to the UK bank holiday granted as a mark of respect.

William, George, Charlotte and Kate join the Westminster Abbey procession at the start of the Queen’s funeral. (Getty Images)

Kate and her two older children – Charlotte and George – arrive at Westminster Abbey. (Getty Images)

The news was announced late last night that the young royals would be among the 2,000 people attending the funeral. The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to have thought ‘very carefully’ about whether to include their children in the sombre proceedings.

Later today, both children will also be in the congregation at Her Majesty’s committal service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. The decision as to whether or not they’ll join the procession there will be made following their feelings after this event, the Queen’s state funeral.

Both George and Charlotte have increasingly become more visible in the past year and have both attended solo and joint engagements with their parents. They were also front and centre during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.

Kate greets a clergy member and introduces George and Charlotte. (Getty Images)

George and Charlotte arrive at Westminster Abbey with their mother, Kate, and the Queen Consort. (Getty Images)

Princess Charlotte of Wales arrives for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London. (Getty Images)

Now their grandfather, Charles, is King and their parents have also been granted new titles, they’re likely to be more involved in key royal events. After all, the Queen’s death now means George is second in line to the throne and Charlotte third.

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Prince William knows what it’s like to be part of a funeral procession as 25 years ago he famously walked behind his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales’ coffin, at the age of 15. His brother, Harry, was aged 13 at the time.

He previously said walking behind his mother’s coffin without crying was “one of the hardest things” he’s ever done.

Speaking to GQ magazine, he said: “But if I had been in floods of tears the entire way round, how would that have looked?”

He added that he “didn’t feel comfortable having that massive outpouring of emotion around [him].”

Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales follow the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales in September 1997. (Getty Images)