Princess Charlotte wears horseshoe-shaped diamond brooch to honor Queen's love of horses
LONDON, ENGLAND: Princess Charlotte wore a small horseshoe-shaped badge to honor Queen Elizabeth II at her state funeral in her own personal tribute to her great-grandmother.
The seven-year-old walked behind Queen Elizabeth II's coffin alongside her brother Prince George and parents the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Katherine, dressed in all-black and donning a formal hat for the first time. As mentioned, she pinned to her coat a small diamond brooch in the shape of a horseshoe, honoring one of the late monarch's great passions. Charlotte, who is herself learning how to ride, accompanied her brother to Westminster Abbey in the same car as their mother and Camilla, the Queen Consort.
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The two young royals were seen in public for the first time since the demise of their much-loved great-grandmother, who they endearingly called 'Gan Gan.' They arrived at the church shortly after some of the Queen's grandchildren, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Charlotte matched her mother as she was garbed in an all-black long coat and wore a hat with a bow for the first time.
Princess Charlotte’s sweet little diamond horseshoe-shaped brooch was a gift from her late great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, I am told. pic.twitter.com/4XUUPMS4R2
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) September 19, 2022
Charlotte was part of the royal family procession behind the Queen's coffin alongside Wiliam and Kate, and brother George, 9. The family made their way down the aisle of Westminster Abbey before Kate escorted the little ones into the service. William had arrived earlier alongside King Charles.
Earlier, the Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly mulling whether to bring their two eldest children to the procession and service, especially after both had attended the funeral of their great grandfather Prince Consort Prince Philip in 2021. They finally decided to bring them both. George, who is second-in-line to the throne at the tender age of nine, came along after senior palace advisers said it would send a powerful symbolic message about the future of The Firm.
It's intriguing to note that the young prince is now second in the line of succession, after having recently started a new school. Nonetheless, royal aides thought it would be wholesome for the public to see the young prince, who is technically the future of the monarchy. As noted by People, George and Charlotte are several years younger than William was when he attended his mother Princess Diana's funeral in 1997 at the age of 15. That said, four-year-old Prince Louis was likely deemed too young to attend Monday's funeral.
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As mentioned, the royal siblings previously attended a memorial service for their great-grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, in March. That funeral, also held at Westminster Abbey, was scaled down due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time. The Queen's memorial service offered a chance for more family members and representatives of Prince Philip's various charities to pay their respects.
King Charles addressed the United Kingdom for the first time last week following the death of the late sovereign at age 96. The newly crowned monarch shared that William and Kate had inherited the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales. Their three children, who are now second, third, and fourth in line to the throne, went from being Princes and Princess of Cambridge to Princes and Princess of Wales. They are now Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, and Prince Louis of Wales, according to People.