Unfortunately, the children of the family were not untouched by the heartbreak of losing their “Grannie.” However, like any other children, these children have also been struggling to comprehend the gravity of this important moment in history. Especially, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s youngest child, 4-year-old Prince Louis has been asking heartbreaking questions related to death.
Australia’s Governor-General David Hurley recalled a conversation he had with Kate Middleton when he met her alongside other dignitaries before the State funeral of the Queen. Wondering if their visit to Balmoral castle during the summers would be the same as earlier, “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, cause she’s not going to be there?'” Hurley said, reports Daily Mail.
Princess Kate and Prince William’s children George, Charlotte and Louis are 9, 7 and 4 years old respectively and their struggle to grasp the death of a close family member is understandable. However, Hurley recalled Kate mentioning that her eldest son Prince George was “sort of now realizing how important his great-grandmother was and what is going on.” Speaking about how children process their grief, Margaret Rice, curator of the Good Grief website, explained that “children experience grief and loss from a very young age,” and it is normal for them to ask a lot of questions.
Along with their parents Princess Kate and Prince William, Louis’ elder siblings Prince George, and Princess Charlotte, attended the service after a careful consideration made by their parents to include them in the ceremony, per PEOPLE. However, the 4-year-old was absent, maybe because of the difficult day that lay ahead. Kate Middleton, like any other protective mother during this somber occasion, held onto her children during the whole procession. She held Charlotte’s hand as they entered the gates of the abbey where the Queen’s funeral was held and was spotted stroking George’s knee as a symbol of support.
