Death and Funeral of Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland, March 10 & 16, 2013

[Roslyn]

What an excruciatingly poignant, but uplifting, love story! I knew nothing about Princess Lilian until I read of her death yesterday, but I find myself with tears in my eyes when I read about about her and Prince not being able to let their love be known publicly, and learning that they could not have children because they could not be "official". They clearly loved each other very deeply, but because of the circumstances did not marry. They could have married, but his sense of duty, of which I am sure she approved, did not permit it. How sad they could not be an official couple for all those years! What amazes me is is that they do not seem to have been bitter about it, just accepting. She seems to have been much loved by the Royal Family, and to have been an absolutely delightful, warm, woman with a marvellous sense of humour, and very generous of spirit.

I need to read more about them.

I hope the BRF sends someone appropriately senior (in rank) to this wonderful lady's funeral.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by kathia_sophia

Maybe Queen Margrethe will attend with Queen Anne-Marie and Princess Benedikte, Lilian was their aunt as well.

Princess Lillian was their aunt in law,Bertil was their uncle.I'm expecting a small Family funeral,with maybe a few of the royal cousins.

[Emmily]

Originally Posted by Naggi

I had no idea. Hers is an amazing love story.

I didn't either! What a wonderful story.

[Hans-Rickard]

Well if you are granted a funeral service in the Royal Palace Church in Stockholm it's almost a guarantee that it won't be a private family event.
You are never granted a funeral service there if you are not a full member of the swedish royal family = a Prince/Princess of Sweden and styled H.R.H

[BrazilianEmpire]

I believe we can expect the presence of the Royal Families of Sweden (of course), Denmark, Norway and Greece.

As for other Royals, only personal friends from other Royal Houses.

[kathia_sophia]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Princess Lillian was their aunt in law,Bertil was their uncle.I'm expecting a small Family funeral,with maybe a few of the royal cousins.

I know she was aunt-in-law, but I would rather refer to her as aunt only, because I don't call my uncle's wife aunt-in-law but aunt only. It gives a feeling of a more approchable and warm relashionship, I'm sure Victoria, CP and Madeleine called her aunt only.

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Princess Lillian was their aunt in law,Bertil was their uncle.I'm expecting a small Family funeral,with maybe a few of the royal cousins.

It won't be a small family affair.
Lilian was a not only a member of the Royal Family, but also a Royal Highness and a Princess of Sweden. As such, she will be accorded appropriate funerals. As per established protocol, her coffin will lie in state at the Royal Chapel, followed by a funeral ceremony that is likely to be attended by representatives of foreign royal families. A procession will then progress through the city to the cemetery at Haga, where the late Princess will be buried alongside Prince Bertil.

Death of Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland

[Grandduchess24]

Truly sad

RIP princess Lillian may you now be reunited with your love
::rose ::

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

It won't be a small family affair.
Lilian was a not only a member of the Royal Family, but also a Royal Highness and a Princess of Sweden. As such, he will be accorded appropriate funerals. As per established protocol, her coffin will lie in state at the Royal Chapel, followed by a funeral ceremony that is likely to be attended by representatives of foreign royal families. A procession will then progress through the city to the cemetery at Haga, where the late Princess will be buried alongside Prince Bertil.

Death of Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland

Oh I am sure the protocol for her funeral will be appropriate to her rank in Sweden. What I meant was I do not expect a large turn out from the Gotha. The Scandinavians are all closely related so I expect them, but to suggest too many other royal families will be there seems a bit optomistic. JC seems to love funerals more than most but I doubt Spain will be there. Given her age it seems likely that most of her personal friends have already passed on so that would limit attendance as well.

[Artemisia]

I don't expect a particularly large turnout from foreign Royal Families as well (the fellow Scandinavian ones excluded) but I do believe most houses will send at least one representative, even the British Royals. The British and Swedish Royal Families are after all very closely related too, and even though Lilian was not a royal by blood, she was still an important and popular member of the Swedish Royal Family. Not to mention, she was British-born. It is also said Elizabeth II quite liked her when Lilian and Bertil visited London (after their wedding, of course).

[NGalitzine]

Really? How large was the turn out from the Gotha for the funerals of HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester or HRH Princess Margaret, or for the sister of the King of Norway? I think expecting a large Gotha turn out is pretty optomistic but am willing to be surprised.

[Artemisia]

I fully admit being optimistic by nature.
Perhaps it's just a wishful thinking on my part - giving a remarkable woman all the final honours possible. Time will tell, I guess.

[Meraude]

My guess is that the funeral of princess Lilian will be of the same level as that of her husband, and that members of the same royal families that attended his funeral will send representatives to her funeral, beside the Scandinavian royal families I would guess the Belgian and Luxembourg and possibly Dutch royal families. For the British royal family I'm not certain of their attendance.

Each royal family decides at what level a royal funeral will be, and who will be invited, so it's not possible to compare royal funerals in different countries as we don't know who was invited and who wasn't. As for the funeral of princess Ragnhild of Norway, as far as I know it was a family funeral for a member of the royal family, and she had probably herself decided at what level her funeral would be.

[Roslyn]

I share Artemisia's optimism about this. I have been very impressed by what I have learned about Lilian, and I really hope the BRF send someone appropriate, and I consider it should be someone senior, in age as well as rank.

Lilian was a Welsh lass and there is a close connection between the two RFs through Princess Margaret of Connaught. There is also the ongoing (future) connection via Christopher O'Neill, though I do appreciate that this last one is a fairly tenuous argument.

Because of the family connection, and the particular relationship between them, I think Prince Bertil's second cousin Prince Philip should attend, or Prince Bertil's second cousin once removed, Princess Alexandra. I don't think it is necessarily the occasion to send one of HM's children, though I suppose there's an equal argument for sending one of them as for sending Prince George, Duke of Kent's daughter. I just have a feeling that if it can't be the Prince of Wales (my first choice) or Prince Philip, it should be Princess Alexandra.

[Tiggersk8]

I always admired and loved this elegant and lovely lady. She will be missed, but she is now out of pain and reunited w/her beloved Prince.

Rest in Peace Princess Lilian. My condolences to the Swedish Royal Family.

[Meraude]

The Swedish newspaper Expressen have an interview with princess Lilian's half sister Janice Rees: "Ledsen över att jag inte lärde känna Lilian" | Nyheter | Expressen | Senaste nytt - Nyheter Sport Nöje TV

[Hendrik-Jan77]

Will this Royal Funeral be televised in Sweden?
Does anyone know if it can also be watched online?
If so, can someone post an online link on which I can click Saturday?
I would appreciate it if I could watch it online.
Princess Lilian was one of my most favorite members of the Swedish Royal Family.

[Hans-Rickard]

Originally Posted by Hendrik-Jan77

Will this Royal Funeral be televised in Sweden?
Does anyone know if it can also be watched online?
If so, can someone post an online link on which I can click Saturday?
I would appreciate it if I could watch it online.
Princess Lilian was one of my most favorite members of the Swedish Royal Family.

We don't know yet. They haven't said anything about that yet and the swedish television hasn't changed anything for saturday's programs so we have to wait and see.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

Really? How large was the turn out from the Gotha for the funerals of HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester or HRH Princess Margaret, or for the sister of the King of Norway? I think expecting a large Gotha turn out is pretty optomistic but am willing to be surprised.

I think the difference is that both Princess Margaret and Princess Alice, Duchess of Glocuester had private funerals where there was also no Press inside of St. Georg's Chapel. Had it been more official i think there would have been more foreign representatives.

[Ephram]

Heartfelt condolences to Sweden over the passing of Princess Lilian. She will be remembered - her spirit during the Nobel ceremony shall always present forever.

Princess Lilian Of Sweden Attends The Nobel Foundation