Grieving for Great-Granny…
And what’s next for King Charles III’s new-look monarchy
What an emotional week that was. The Queen’s funeral on Monday, September 19, was a sight we may never see again – a dignified, flawless ceremony full of pomp, tradition and reverence.
As the Royal Family struggled to contain their emotion as they said goodbye to their mother and grandmother, our eyes were also on the youngest family members, there to pay tribute to their beloved great-grandmother.
All of Queen Elizabeth II’s loved ones were there: her four children, King Charles III, 73, Princess Anne, 72, Prince Andrew, 62, and Prince Edward, 58, were joined by her eight grandchildren, Peter Phillips, 44, Zara Tindall, 41, Prince William, 40, Prince Harry, 38, Princesses Beatrice, 34 and Eugenie, 32, Lady Louise Windsor, 18 and James, Viscount Severn, 14 and her 12 great-grandchildren were represented by an emotional Prince George, 9 and Princess Charlotte, 7, in Westminster Abbey.
They were later joined by Savannah Phillips, 11, and sister Isla, 10 and Mia Tindall, 8, at the ceremony in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
The Prince and Princess of Wales had reportedly “thought long and hard” about whether George and Charlotte could cope with the funeral, but in the end, they were there, looking serious and smart - George in a navy suit and Charlotte in a fitted black coat and hat. And they were so brave, in what was an intense – and long - day. Catherine was seen to reassure George and Charlotte, as they stayed close by her side, George glanced up at William and Charlotte held her mum’s hand. Likewise, Harry gave Charlotte encouraging smiles, as did Meghan.
At one point, Charlotte was seen telling George he had to bow, as the coffin went past.
“We pray especially for all her family, grieving as every family at a funeral – including so many families round the world who have themselves lost someone recently – but in this family’s case doing so in the brightest spotlight,” said The Archbishop of Canterbury. “May God heal their sorrow, may the gap left in their lives be marked with memories of joy and life. All who follow the Queen’s example, and inspiration of trust and faith in God, can with her say, ‘We will meet again.’”
The Queen had enjoyed a close and loving relationship with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. William said in a tribute to her, “She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life. I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.” Harry called her “a guiding compass.”
Beatrice and Eugenie said, “You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever. Thank you for making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy.”
Prince George called the Queen “Gan-Gan” and spent as much time with his great-grandmother as many children do with their grandparents. But The Royal List is sad for the youngest great-grandchildren, who will grow up not knowing the late monarch at all. The rest of her 12 great-grandchildren include Prince Louis, 4, Lena Tindall, 4, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, 3, August Brooksbank, 1, Lucas Tindall, 1, Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, 1 and Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, who turned one last Sunday.
Inevitably, August, Lucas, Lilibet and Sienna will have no memories of the Queen – the first of a new generation of royals with no real links to the old.
What’s next for King Charles III’s reign
After the funeral, we begin to look ahead to the future and ponder what comes next.
Reports have suggested the coronation is likely to be June next year, but the new King has already got down to business, implementing some of the changes he envisioned for his new monarchy. He has issued redundancy notices to some of the households of Clarence House and Buckingham Palace, as the teams merge into one. It’s not clear what will happen to Clarence House, but Charles has long been vocal about wanting to streamline the working royals – and the palaces.
He was swift to appoint William and Catherine Prince and Princess of Wales, saying, “Our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversation, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground.” This cements their position as central to his new monarchy, and insiders tip Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex will also get an elevated role, expected to be titled Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, which was Prince Philip’s wish.
Patronages will be redistributed and edited down. “It will no longer be possible for me to give my time and energy to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply, but I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others,” the King said in his first speech.
With a streamlined and unified approach, it will end the days of competing royal households and could, as Charles’ friend Jonathan Dimbleby said, be the beginning of a “quiet constitutional revolution”.
A last goodbye
We end with this photo of the Queen, hiking through heather, released by her family this week. Taken by Her Majesty’s late cousin, the photographer Lord Lichfield at Balmoral in 1971, the caption accompanying it reads simply, “May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest.”
In loving memory of Her Majesty The Queen. 1926 - 2022
