The Queen/Prince Philip

[Baxter]

Just in general the loss of a grandmother will be less devastating than the loss of your mother. I was close with my grandmother and I was very sad when she died. I was 11. But I was able to move on and get to the happy remembrances stage fairly quickly. If my mother had died, I would have been absolutely devastated. I'm 38 and I still feel like I'm not prepared for her death, which is still hopefully many years away.

I imagine that the Wessex kids are very sad but did want to be included because they loved their grandmother and wanted to do something to honor her. The wessex kids aren't in the spotlight very often so I don't think there would have been an expectation for them to be there if they didn't want to be due to their age. 

[viii]

19 minutes ago, Baxter said:

Just in general the loss of a grandmother will be less devastating than the loss of your mother. I was close with my grandmother and I was very sad when she died. I was 11. But I was able to move on and get to the happy remembrances stage fairly quickly. If my mother had died, I would have been absolutely devastated. I'm 38 and I still feel like I'm not prepared for her death, which is still hopefully many years away.

I think the loss of my grandma for me is so difficult because she was like a second mother and I was given plenty of years with her, although I assumed she would have a lot more. However, I cannot even fathom the day my mother dies and how I will fall apart. I am dreading it and due to the loss of my grandma, everyone’s mortality is on my mind so much these days. I feel like I am constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.  

[DalmatianCat]

2 hours ago, SoSoNosy said:

There was a picture of the Queen holding Charlotte (I think) on her lap, and all the children gathered around her; Louise and James were standing behind them.  Mia had been acting up, and the Queen told her to hold the handbag; Mia did, and the picture was taken.  Not an informal picture, for sure.  And most were great-grandchildren.

 

 

I remember that picture, which made me start thinking that just the grandchildren have never been formally photographed with the Queen…unless they have and a picture has just never been released. I am wondering if there are any private family photos of her with all 8 grandchildren. On my mother’s side of the family (which was quite large) family photos where always: one with everyone in it, then just the original 5 kids with their parents, then spouses would be added, then just the grandkids and grandparents, then grandkids and great-kids, then just great-grands, etc.

It was always quite the production with various stages of whining, threats, and treats promised.

[tabitha2]

2 hours ago, WiseGirl said:

I liked how the Wessexes were in between the the York girls and Zara and Peter. Almost as if the older cousins were being protective of the youngest. I also like as a group, granted they were old enough, they did something new to honor their grandmother whom they all seem to adore and have great memories of her as "granny".  William and Harry were perfect bookends and leads in the walk. For the record I think its stupid that Harry can't wear a uniform.  He served for goodness sake.

Not to ruin a sweet thought and be that person but it just looked like they were walking in order of Precedence to me. They still take that stuff seriously in ceremonial events.   

 

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by tabitha2

[viii]

Agreed, they walked in in order of the line of succession. 

[tabitha2]

On that note it’s been announced that George and Charlotte walk behind the coffin and we will see the order of seniority: George Behind William but ahead of Harry , Charlotte behind Kate but ahead of Meghan. 
 

 

[Baxter]

@viii I'm so sorry for the loss of your grandma. It wasn't my intention to minimize the roles some grandmother's play in their grandkids' lives. Of course, some grandmother's play a bigger role than just grandma and that will make it all the harder. 

As I said, I had a fairly close relationship with my grandma, she was a 5 minute drive from our house. She loved having all her grandkids over as often as possible. She made me a quilt for my bed and a matching doll quilt that I still treasure. We always did baking at her house for Christmas and Easter. We helped her plant her garden every spring. Every Christmas Eve was spent at her house. So it was very sad when we lost her kind if unexpectedly. But i was able to move on much more easily than if it had been my mom. I honestly don't know how I would have moved forward from that. 

I expect the Wessex kids had a more typical grandma relationship with the Queen and so while this is hard, they are able to cope. 

 

[viii]

Again, no surprise there. It’s literally order of precedence. 

@Baxter I agree. I think Louise had a special connection with her grandparents since she did the whole horse racing thing but I don’t think James would have the same connection that his older cousins have, unfortunately. 

Also, your grandma sounds lovely. 🤍

Edited September 19, 2022 by viii

[rosamundi]

9 hours ago, tabitha2 said:

On that note it’s been announced that George and Charlotte walk behind the coffin and we will see the order of seniority: George Behind William but ahead of Harry , Charlotte behind Kate but ahead of Meghan. 

There's obviously been a change of plan or this announcement was incorrect, because George, Charlotte and the Princess of Wales have just entered the Abbey. The royals who are walking behind the coffin are waiting for it to be brought out of Westminster Hall.

[rosamundi]

22 minutes ago, rosamundi said:

There's obviously been a change of plan or this announcement was incorrect, because George, Charlotte and the Princess of Wales have just entered the Abbey. The royals who are walking behind the coffin are waiting for it to be brought out of Westminster Hall.

Quoting myself like a monster - they've just stepped from their seats to joint the procession to the altar.

[Loveday]

26 minutes ago, rosamundi said:

Quoting myself like a monster - they've just stepped from their seats to joint the procession to the altar.

Yes, the original announcement had me believing the children would walk from the Hall to the Abbey, too, but this does make more sense; it's going to be a long day for them, no need to make them walk in what amounts to military lockstep all that distance (not far for adults, but seemingly miles and miles to children!) and then sit through the entire funeral service.

[mango_fandango]

Found a photo of the Princess of Wales and George in a car, then of Queen Consort Camilla alongside what looks like the back of George’s head and some of Charlotte’s hair. 

[just_ordinary]

I think it was always the plan to have them join the procession at the same point as the spouses when they decided they were going to join in at the funeral. W was very open about how hard he found walking behind the coffin through the city past the masses. No need for the younglings to join earlier really.

On another note: whoever takes to extremely beautiful car photos of Kate in mourning is a genius. Fantastic photos. 

[viii]

Nice funeral and everyone looked good, although Meghan should have ditched the black gloves. Shedding tears should have been expected and her make up got all over the gloves. 

[47of74]

Just watched the committal service.  Yes, those were actual tears from me watching Charles at the end of the service as he put the colours on his mother's coffin and the lowering of the coffin into the vault.

[Four is Enough]

6 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

Just watched the committal service.  Yes, those were actual tears from me watching Charles at the end of the service as he put the colours on his mother's coffin and the lowering of the coffin into the vault.

The loss of his mother, and the weight of the kingship falling on him at the same time? I'd cry too. He must be exhausted.

No matter how long you have your mother, it's never enough time.

 

I do hope that Harry gets to mourn along with his brother and cousins, and perhaps their hearts for each other can be healed.

[tabitha2]

I dare you anyone to tell me there is no real love  and caring in that family. 

[Loveday]

The committal service was so much more intimate and moving than the actual funeral service at Westminster. Found myself in need of a tissue before it was all over with, especially when I saw the tears in the King's eyes. 😢 

But all that walking! I felt kind of bad for some of the older people in the procession, especially on the Long Walk to St George's. I know at my age I'd never have been able to do it! I'm sure they all considered it a privilege and an honour, though. 

[Coconut Flan]

Praise Rufus it's all over and may the drama die down.  That was SO hard on people late 60s and up.  There were so many trips, gatherings, and meetings.

[TN-peach]

The Queen's cousins seem so much older now.

I read an interesting article about the Duchess of Kent after she retired from public life - she went to go to teach music at a school.  She was known as Mrs. Kent.  Queen Elizabeth knew about it but that was about it. 

[EmCatlyn]

1 hour ago, Four is Enough said:

No matter how long you have your mother, it's never enough time.

On behalf of those of us whose mothers suffered dementia before they died, I want to say that sometimes the death of the body feels like a release for them and for you, because the “never enough time” refers to when their minds were there.  I had no desire for my mom to live another day after she stopped recognizing people and could not carry on a conversation.  I know that she would have felt the same way.  I began mourning my mother three years before she passed away.  Even before that, she was not always “there.”  She never “met” my now husband, though he “met” her.  She never knew that her granddaughter had graduated from college or a dozen other small and big things that I would have wanted to share with her.  Even now, there are times when I think of telling her something or of how she would have an answer to a question that puzzles me.  But I was only a little sad when she died because the great sadness of loss was spread over the years.

[viii]

I cannot even imagine, @EmCatlyn What strength you must have. 

[Coconut Flan]

57 minutes ago, EmCatlyn said:

 I had no desire for my mom to live another day after she stopped recognizing people and could not carry on a conversation.  I know that she would have felt the same way.  I began mourning my mother three years before she passed away.

It is truly the long goodbye.  My daughter saw my mother yesterday.  My mother had no clue who she was and only had  a few understandable sentences.  

[tabitha2]

Same with my dad. I never grieved for him because he lived pretty harsh life with little real love from the moment of his birth and death was a release. Same for my Grandmothers on both sides and my paternal grandfather. When they died it was nothing to be sad over. 

[KnittingOwl]

The two corgis and Emma the pony waiting at Windsor for the Queen were really touching. Emma even had one of the Queen’s headscarves on her back.