Sophie Wessex's incredible hidden gesture to Prince George at Queen's funeral

25 November 2023 , 15:55

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Sophie made a touching gesture to the royal children at the Queen's funeral (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

It's been over a year since the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth, but one moment from the poignant day has stuck in the minds of many people - and it involved two of the youngest royals, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

The second and third in line to the throne were not initially expected to appear at the state occasion, because of the intense level of public scrutiny they would be under at such a young age.

However, it was said to be the last-minute decision of their parents - William and Kate - to include them in the tribute to their great-grandmother and Britain's longest-serving monarch, because of the importance of the day both to the Royal Family and the country itself.

The youngest Wales child - Prince Louis, who now aged five was only four at the time - did not attend, presumably because of how much younger he is than his elder brother and sister. Whilst Charlotte and George were at the funeral standing next to one another, Sophie - the Duchess of Edinburgh - was seen placing her arm gently around George's shoulders as a comforting gesture during the emotional and high-profile day.

Emotions were high during the course of the mourning period, but never more so than on the day of the funeral itself, during which both Sophie and her husband Prince Edward - the late Queen's youngest son - were seen looking tearful during the service.

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Sophie's comforting gesture to George (Getty Images)

George and Charlotte were some of the youngest at the funeral (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Around 2000 people packed into Westminster Abbey for the funeral, after the Queen had laid in state for four days in Westminster Hall and thousands of members of the public queued up to pay their respects to the late monarch.

500 of the mourners at the funeral were heads of state from other countries and foreign dignitaries as well as former UK prime ministers and their spouses - who all joined the extended Royal Family for the state occasion.

After the service was complete the Queen's coffin was processed down the Mall borne by the State Gun Carriage - which was pulled by 98 Royal Navy soldiers on foot - to Wellington Arch. From there, the Queen's coffin was transferred to the state hearse and traveled to its final resting place of St. George's Chapel, Windsor. The moment of burial itself was done privately away from the cameras that had broadcast most of the mourning period internationally, with only the Royal Family in attendance.

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Emma Mackenzie