Honoring their great-grandmother. Prince William and Princess Kate’s eldest children attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, September 19.
William and Kate, both 40, paid their respects at Westminster Abbey alongside their two kids: Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7. The Prince of Wales arrived at the service alongside King Charles III and Prince Harry. Kate, meanwhile, rode with Queen Consort Camilla as they were joined by George and Charlotte.
The little ones followed their parents during the procession, with Harry, 38, and Meghan Markle immediately behind them. William and Kate also share son Prince Louis, 4, who did not attend the funeral.
The monarch passed away “peacefully” at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. She was 96. Hours earlier, the palace confirmed that Elizabeth’s doctors placed her “under medical supervision.”
Kate, who married William in 2011, later opened up about how her youngest child reacted to the tragic news. “[Louis said,] ‘At least Grannie is with Great-Grandpa [Prince Philip] now,’” she told a group of children, according to London’s The Times.
More than a year before Elizabeth’s death, the Duke of Edinburgh was laid to rest in April 2021 at age 99. The longest-reigning monarch mourned Philip’s death for eight days before returning to work.
“While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world,” the queen said in a statement shortly after his death. “My family and I would like to thank you for all the support and kindness shown to us in recent days. We have been deeply touched and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life.”
At the time, a source exclusively told Us Weekly how William and Kate explained the passing to their kids. “William told George, Charlotte and Louis that Prince Philip has ‘gone to heaven’ and ‘is an angel now,'” a royal insider shared. “They’re still so young so he and Kate wanted to let them down gently.”
According to the insider, the young royals felt their great-grandfather’s absence. “Naturally, the children are very upset, particularly George and Charlotte,” the source continued. “Louis is still very young and had only met Prince Philip a couple of times.
The couple went out of their way to keep Philip’s memory alive for their children. “George, Charlotte and Louis helped William choose a photograph of Prince Philip to hang in their home in memory of him,” the insider added.
Later that year, William and Kate’s kids reunited with Elizabeth for the holidays amid the coronavirus pandemic. “The Cambridges are spending Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham! It’s going to be a big family affair,” a second source revealed to Us in December 2021. “George, Charlotte and Louis are absolutely delighted to be seeing their great-grandmother in person again.”
William echoed this sentiment in his September 10 statement mourning the loss of the sovereign. “My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives,” he shared via Instagram, adding that Kate had 20 years of the queen’s “guidance and support.”
The Duke of Cornwall added: “I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.”
Scroll down for more photos of Kate and her kids at the service:
