Prince William and Kate Middleton ‘may take nine-year-old George to the Queen’s funeral to send symbolic message’
PRINCE William and Kate Middleton may take their son George to the Queen's funeral to send a "powerful symbolic message", it is claimed.
Palace advisors are said to be encouraging the couple to allow the nine-year-old to attend tomorrow's emotional service for his beloved great-grandmother, or "Gan Gan".
One insider told the : "Courtiers are keen for Prince George to be at the funeral in some capacity, if only to reassure the nation of the order of succession."
Another said: "It’s currently under discussion. No decision has been made yet."
George, now second in line to the throne, has not been seen since Her Majesty's death last week.
While two of the late monarch's other great-grandchildren - Mia and Lena Tindall, aged eight and four - were at Westminster Hall on Friday, George and his siblings, Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Louis, have been kept out of view.
READ MORE ON THE QUEEN'S DEATH
Some have suggested the children are too young to be involved in the sombre events, but the Princess of Wales did tell mourners on Thursday that they were coping "well" with the loss.
Her husband also revealed that walking behind the Queen's coffin as it left Buckingham Palace for the last time brought back heartbreaking memories of doing the same at his mother's funeral in 1997.
Wills and Harry solemnly marched side-by-side in the procession on Wednesday.
It was a haunting echo of Princess Diana's funeral, when the brothers, aged 12 and 15, stood shoulder to shoulder as they followed her casket.
Most read in The Sun
William has previously described that walk as "one of the hardest things I've ever done", while Harry said: "I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances."
Millions of mourners are set to descend on the capital for the Queen’s funeral tomorrow — while more than four billion tune in from home.
It is expected to be the highest-attended event in British history — and television’s most-watched ever.
The state funeral — which starts at 11am — has also sparked the biggest security operation ever staged in the UK, with more than 15,000 police on duty.
It easily eclipses the London 2012 Olympics which saw up to 10,000 police officers on duty per day, and is on a larger scale than the Platinum Jubilee earlier this year.
Read More on The Sun
Hundreds of world leaders, dignitaries and other VIPs are expected to to be present, as well as royals from across Europe.
The Sun has contacted Buckingham Palace regarding Prince George's attendance.
