Goodbye Gan-Gan: Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, pay their respects to the Queen

Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined senior royals at the Queen’s funeral today, bypassing thousands of mourners on the streets of London as they travelled to Westminster Abbey with the Queen Consort and the Princess of Wales. 

George, heir-to-the-throne, nine, and his little sister, seven, who wore a smart black hat with a bow, first travelled in a royal car with their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, before later transferring to a procession car with Kate Middleton and Camilla – with both children appearing to grasp the enormity of the day.

The Queen’s great grandchildren cut solemn figures as they were driven to Westminster Abbey ahead of the state funeral. 

Upon arriving at the historic London church, Princess Charlotte, who wore a mourning coat with velour collar and a matching wide-brimmed hat held tightly onto her mother’s hand, with George, dressed in a navy blue suit with a black tie, walking ahead. The Wales’ youngest son, Prince Louis, four, stayed at home.

Responsibility: Heads bowed, Prince Charlotte and Prince George walk inbetween the Prince and Princess of Wales as they follow the Queen’s coffin into the church; in front of them the Duke and Duchess of Wessex 

The Queen’s great grandchildren, clearly aware of the enormity of the day, stand quietly by their mother’s side before as they await the arrival of their father. To their right, the Duchess of Sussex stands next to them

As Prince George looks on through the doors of the Abbey, Princess Charlotte is seen adjusting her hat; the youngster wore a simple brooch on her mourning coat (Pictured from left: Prince George, the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte and Meghan Markle) 

The Queen’s great grandchildren sat in front of their mother, the Princess of Wales and the Queen Consort as they made their way to Westminster Abbey in the claret royal car

The Princess of Wales cut a pensive figure as she joined her mother-in-law and two of her three children for the short journey – while the King and Prince of Wales marched behind the Queen’s coffin

Solemnity: The family sat in hushed silence as the car drove past crowds of mourners gathered on London’s streets

Arrival: The new Princess of Wales and her daughter exit the royal car at Westminster Abbey; the senior royal gently guides the seven-year-old in the right direction

The Princess of Wales is seen walking hand-in-hand with her daughter as the family arrived at Westminster Abbey’s hallowed doors ahead of the 11am service

A supportive hand: Kate Middleton touches her daughter’s shoulder as the family make their way to their seats

The children looked on from their claret royal car as Prince William, King Charles and other senior royals marched behind the coffin as it arrived at Westminster Abbey.

After Kate Middleton and her two children arrived at the Abbey gates, they were greeted by members of the clergy leading the state funeral. 

The Princess of Wales offered a series of supportive gestures to her daughter, including guiding her into the Abbey with a gentle hand and keeping a tight hold of her hand as the family walked through the oak doors.  

Prince George appeared mature beyond his years, appreciating the history of the moment, and striding slightly ahead of his mother to make his way to the Abbey pews. 

The Wales are believed to have brought the second-in-line to the throne to the historic event after senior palace advisers them to consider letting him attend the state funeral because of the powerful symbolic message it sends. 

The couple’s elder children appearing at the funeral today has come as somewhat of a surprise. The Daily Mail understands that the Prince and Princess of Wales thought ‘long and hard’ about whether their two eldest children, aged nine and seven, should join them.

But after George and Charlotte attended their great-grandfather’s memorial in March, William and Kate decided they could cope with the solemnity of the occasion. 

 ‘As parents they have, of course, thought long and hard about whether their children should accompany them,’ a source said. ‘Of course little Louis is too young, but they think George and Charlotte are up to it.’

Kate Middleton speaks to a member of the clergy welcoming the royal family to the Abbey, while holding Princess Charlotte’s hand

With her mother close by, Princess Charlotte walked into the Abbey today; the princess wore a mourning coat with velour collar and a matching wide-brimmed hat

Prince George is introduced to the clergy leading the Queen’s state funeral service; it’s thought officials at Buckingham Palace made the decision that the nine-year-old should attend his late great-grandmother’s funeral

At the tender age of nine, and having just overcome the daunting prospect of starting a new school, George is now the second in line to the throne.

With this in mind, aides have suggested it would be good for the public to see the young Prince – who affectionately called the Queen ‘Gan Gan’ – and is the future of the Monarchy.

It comes after they appeared at the funeral of Prince Philip, their great-grandfather last year, and will give them a chance to say goodbye to Her Majesty, who they affectionately called ‘Gan Gan’.

It’s the first time any of the Wales children have been seen in public since the Queen’s death last Thursday. 

It has been an extremely busy period for Kate, who has been supporting her husband Prince William publicly, and no doubt helping her children adjust to life without their Gan-Gan.

Prince George looked mature beyond his years as he accompanied his mother through the gates of the Abbey 

Once inside, George strode slightly ahead of the Princess of Wales as the family joined Prince William in their pews

Earlier, the two children – younger brother Prince Louis, four, was not in attendance today – were seen with their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales ahead of the Westminster Abbey service

Father and daughter appeared to chat during the short journey by car to the start of the funeral procession

Charlotte wore a black hat and looked sombre as she looked out at the thousands of well-wishers lining London’s streets

The death of their great-grandmother the Queen will be a heavy blow to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, as they and their parents begin a new life at Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle – where Her Majesty spent most of the year.

During royal walkabouts and engagements this week, the Princess of Wales has offered a glimpse into the grief of her children, saying that Prince George has a greater understanding of their Gan-Gan’s passing.

Days ago, Prince William said the couple are ‘trying to keep everything constant’ for their three children since the death of their beloved Grannie. 

While speaking with well-wishers outside the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, the Queen’s grandson Prince William told royal fans the children are ‘settling in’ after their great grandmother passed away during ‘the first week of school’. But he added they were ‘doing ok’. 

He told well-wisher Karen Anvil: ‘We’re trying to keep everything constant and settled for them.’

As royal fans chatted with the Prince of Wales, he admitted there was lots of talk of the Queen’s death among the pupils – and agreed it was the ‘only talking point’.

The Prince of Wales also mused with well-wishers about how lovely it was that his children were able to have a relationship with their great grandmother – just as he did.

He said: ‘I remember my great-grandmother, you see. She lived until 101. We thought my grandmother might get a bit more…’

Kate also spoke to royal fans before she and her husband looked at tributes to the late Queen, telling them the children were ‘in a routine’ and coping with their great grandmother’s death.

She said: ‘They’re in school and they’re being well looked after. They’re in a routine and they’re happy.’

The Princess of Wales added the young princes and princess had made ‘new friends’.

And yesterday, speaking to Australia’s Governor-General at a reception held for Commonwealth dignitaries ahead of the Queen’s funeral today, Kate told how their four-year-old Louis is asking questions and struggling to understand.

David Hurley recalled his conversation with Kate, saying she revealed 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.

It comes after two of the late Queen’s other great-grandchildren, Mia and Lena Tindall, were at Westminster Hall on Friday for her lying-in-state. 

They were in the gallery with their parents Zara and Mike Tindall as their grandmother, Princess Anne, took her place alongside her three brothers for a silent vigil beside the Queen’s coffin. 

Hundreds of thousands of Brits have queued to see the Queen lying in state this week, as the official period of mourning ends today.

Well-wishers waited for up to thirty hours to pay tribute as people from around the world sent their condolences to the longest running head of state .

Dignitaries from the commonwealth including Australia, New Zealand and Canada will join the Firm in mourning today, as well as monarchs from across Europe and the world.

The Queen’s state funeral today will end with a two-minute national silence in a ‘fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign’ before she is laid to rest beside her late husband.

Police have also been granted a no-fly zone order over London on today, which will follow 10 days of mourning.

As well as thousands of uniformed Metropolitan Police bobbies drafted into action, plain-clothes officers will also mingle among crowds to monitor any threats.

It is expected that other forces will be asked to provide officers under ‘mutual aid’.

The Queen’s Coffin was today carried from Westminster Hall to the State Gun Carriage, and then positioned outside the building’s North Door.

The procession then went from New Palace Yard through Parliament Square, Broad Sanctuary and the Sanctuary before arriving at Westminster Abbey just before 11am.

After the State Funeral Service finishes at around midday, the coffin will be placed on the State Gun Carriage outside the Abbey.

At 12.15pm, the procession will set off for Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner.

The route will go from the Abbey via Broad Sanctuary, Parliament Square (south and east sides), Parliament Street, Whitehall, Horse Guards including Horse Guards Arch, Horse Guards Road, The Mall, Queen’s Gardens (south and west sides), Constitution Hill and Apsley Way

At Wellington Arch, the Queen’s coffin will be transferred from the State Gun Carriage to the State Hearse just after 1pm, ahead of the journey to Windsor.

It then will travel from central London to Windsor, on a route that has not been disclosed by the Palace. When the hearse arrives in Windsor, the procession will begin just after 3pm at Shaw Farm Gate on Albert Road.

The state hearse will join the procession, which will have been formed up and in position, at Shaw Farm Gate before travelling to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The procession will follow the route of Albert Road, Long Walk, Cambridge Gate, Cambridge Drive, George IV Gate, Quadrangle (south and west sides), Engine Court, Norman Arch, Chapel Hill, Parade Ground and Horseshoe Cloister Arch.

Just before 4pm, the procession will halt at the bottom of the West Steps of St George’s Chapel in Horseshoe Cloister. Here, the bearer party will carry the coffin in procession up the steps into the chapel.

The Queen will be interred during a private burial at King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle at 7.30pm.