Louis is 'asking lots of questions:' Kate reveals how her children are coping with the Queen's death
19 September 2022, 08:47
The Princess of Wales has revealed how her two sons are coping with the death of their great-grandmother the Queen.
Speaking to Australia's Governor-General at a reception held for Commonwealth dignitaries, Kate explained four-year-old Louis is asking questions and struggling to understand while George is beginning to realise how important the Queen was.
Recalling his conversation David Hurley told Australian media that she said her eldest son Prince George, nine, is "sort of now realising how important his great-grandmother was and what is going on".
But four-year-old Louis has been asking whether the family's summertime visit to Balmoral Castle will still be as he remembers them.
"The younger one is now asking questions like, 'do you think we can still play these games when we go to Balmoral' and things like that, because she's not going to be there'?", Mr Hurley said.
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Speaking to well-wishers last week, the Princess of Wales revealed Prince George "understands the loss" of his great-grandmother - while his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis "less so".
Prince George and Princess Charlotte will make a surprise appearance at their great-grandmother’s funeral today, walking behind her coffin into Westminster Abbey.
The children will also be in the congregation for the committal service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor this afternoon. A decision is to be taken about whether they feel up to taking part in the procession there, too.
George and Charlotte will travel by car to the Abbey with Kate and Camilla, before joining the foot procession as it enters.
Before the state funeral service at 11am, a bell will toll 96 times, reflecting the years of Queen Elizabeth’s life.
The service will be conducted by The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, with hymns including The Lord’s My Shepherd and Love Divine. Lessons feature 1 Corinthians 15 20-26, 53-end and John 14 1-9a, with all aspects personally chosen by the Queen.
A specially commissioned choral piece, Like As The Hart, composed by the Master of The King’s Music, Judith Weir, will be sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey. The choir will also sing a short anthem, O Taste And See, which was composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will give a reading, while Prime Minister Liz Truss will read the second lesson, with prayers from leading clerics including the Bishop of London and Archbishop of York.
Tears are sure to flow at The Last Post and Reveille, as well as the first major public rendition of the National Anthem.A rendition of Sleep, Dearie, Sleep played by the Queen’s piper will have huge significance to her family.
After the service, the bells of Westminster Abbey will be rung, fully muffled, as is the tradition following the sovereign’s funeral.
The coffin will then continue its last journey through London and out to Windsor. The committal service at St George’s Chapel at 4pm will be smaller and far more personal.
