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Prince George and Princess Charlotte join parents to walk behind Queen's coffin at Abbey

Watch: Queen's children and grandchildren walk behind coffin at funeral

Young Prince George and Princess Charlotte have joined their parents to walk behind the Queen's coffin down the nave at Westminster Abbey.

George, nine, and Charlotte, seven, accompanied Kate, William, Meghan and Harry and other Royal Family members to walk down the nave behind their great-grandmother's coffin in Westminster Abbey at the start of the service.

Prince Louis, four, wasn't in attendance due to his young age.

George wore a smart dark navy suit to honour his great-grandmother, while his sister Charlotte wore a formal coat dress with a wide-brimmed flat-top hat.

The two young royals were praised for their "immaculate" appearance by BBC news anchor Huw Edwards, who is leading the broadcaster's coverage of the Queen's funeral.

The children, like the rest of British pupils on Monday, weren't required to be at their new school near Ascot today due to the UK bank holiday granted as a mark of respect.

Britain's Prince George and Princess Charlotte walk after a service at Westminster Abbey on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, September 19, 2022.  REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Pool
Prince George and Princess Charlotte after the Queen's state funeral in London. (Reuters)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex arrive at the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England.  Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and ascended the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Phil Noble - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
William, George, Charlotte and Kate join the Westminster Abbey procession at the start of the Queen's funeral. (Getty Images)
The Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the coffin procession. (Getty Images)
The Princess of Wales and her two older children – Charlotte and George – arrive at Westminster Abbey. (Getty Images)

The news was announced late last night that the young royals would be among the 2,000 people attending the funeral. The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to have thought 'very carefully' about whether to include their children in the sombre proceedings.

Later on Monday, both children will also be in the congregation at Her Majesty's committal service at St George's Chapel in Windsor. The decision as to whether or not they'll join the procession there will be made following their feelings after this event, the Queen's state funeral.

Both George and Charlotte have increasingly become more visible in the past year and have both attended solo and joint engagements with their parents. They were also front and centre during the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19:  Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince George of Wales arrive for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England.  Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and ascended the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Kate greets a clergy member and introduces George and Charlotte. (Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Camilla, Queen consort are seen on The Mall ahead of The State Funeral for Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London, England. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and ascended the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.  (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)
George and Charlotte arrive at Westminster Abbey with their mother, Kate, and the Queen Consort. (Getty Images)
Princess Charlotte of Wales arrives for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London. (Getty Images)
Princess Charlotte arrives for the Queen's state funeral at Westminster Abbey. (Getty Images)

Now their grandfather, Charles, is King and their parents have also been granted new titles, they're likely to be more involved in key royal events. After all, the Queen's death now means George is second in line to the throne and Charlotte third.

Prince William knows what it's like to be part of a funeral procession as 25 years ago he famously walked behind his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales' coffin, at the age of 15. His brother, Harry, was aged 13 at the time.

He previously said walking behind his mother's coffin without crying was "one of the hardest things" he's ever done.

Speaking to GQ magazine, he said: "But if I had been in floods of tears the entire way round, how would that have looked?"

He added that he "didn't feel comfortable having that massive outpouring of emotion around [him]".

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales follow the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales in September 1997. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/WireImage)
Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales follow the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales in September 1997. (Getty Images)