At Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral, one familiar face will notably not be present. Prince Louis won’t be joining his siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte walking behind the carriage.
Taking place at Westminster Abbey on September 19, Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will see most of the royal family take part in the procession, following her coffin down the centre pew of the historic church.
With Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle all confirmed to be attending the service, some wondered whether their children would be by their sides. And according to Buckingham Palace themselves, Prince Louis—the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Wales—will be not there for the historic day.
The four-year-old became a worldwide sensation after he was spotted playfully testing the Princess of Wales’ patience at the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this year. However, it looks like Prince Louis will be missing his great-grandmother’s funeral due to his young age. Palace officials confirmed the youngest child of Kate and William was just too young to attend.
But that hasn’t stopped the young royal being part of the events after his great-grandmother’s death. One day after the monarch peacefully passed away at Balmoral Castle, Kate Middleton took to the streets to greet mourners, sharing a particularly sweet story about how Louis tried to comfort his mother.
“My little Louis is just so sweet,” the newly-titled Princess of Wales told a well-wisher, according to Hello! Magazine. “He said, ‘Mummy don’t worry, because she is now with great-grandpa’.”
As for the great-grandpa in question, Prince Louis was referring to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and the husband of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in April 2021.
Which of the royal grandchildren will be attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral?
As for Prince Louis’ older siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the sibling duo are reportedly set to attend their great-grandmother’s funeral.
According to Buzzfeed News, nine-year-old George and seven-year-old Charlotte will be walking behind the Queen’s coffin as it is taken up the aisle of Westminster Abbey before the service begins. Other reports claim that the siblings will travel to Windsor for the committal service in St George’s Chapel after the funeral, instead of being at the London service.
At the Abbey, if they are to be part of the procession, the two royals will be following their parents, Prince William and Princess Kate, who will be walking side-by-side behind Her Majesty’s coffin. The little royals will be followed by their uncle and aunt, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Before them, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will walk immediately behind the coffin, followed by Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. And close behind will be the Duke of York and then the Earl and Countess of Wessex, then William and Kate.
The service itself will be conducted by David Hoyle, the 39th Dean of Westminster. UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and Patricia Scotland, the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, will read lessons during the service.
The current Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator will all be reading prayers.
Joining the readings, hymns will also be sung, such as “The Lord’s My Shepherd” and “I’ll Not Want”, which was included at the Queen’s wedding when she married the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947.
The end of the service will include two minutes of silence, the Reveille and the national anthem, with Paul Burns, the Queen’s Piper set to play Sleep. Dearie, Sleep. Following that, the coffin will travel in procession from Westminster Abbey to Windsor.
