Royal Funerals and Mourning

[Jacknch]

I would imagine that if such events as the State Opening of Parliament fell during the period between the death and the funeral, it would be delayed until after the funeral. With regard to Rememberance Sunday, I cannot imagine that it would be postponed or delayed at all. I'm not sure whether there is a recent precedent here in the UK where a monarch or senior royal has died at a time where a major national event is about to take place.....anyone else know?

By the way, I do like "what if" questions so keep them coming!

 

[buckbeakbabie]

I actually just found out that Queen Elizabeth II didn't open Parliament on two occasions - when she was expecting Princes Andrew and Edward. She empowered Lords Commissioners to do it for her. A new monarch could do similar. And I suppose another member of the Royal family could do Remembrance Sunday...

It's interesting to think about, because I'm not sure how patient the world's media is nowadays. I'd imagine they'd be clamouring for the new King, and wanting to see him perform the 'big' official duties. The whole concept of mourning is very different now to what it was in the 1950s... I wonder if it wouldn't be that things along the lines of the State Opening of Parliament would be done by the new King, but minor official engagements would be cancelled for a period of months. But that's just a theory, really...

(Yes, what if questions are so much fun...)

 

[vkrish]

Can someone tell me who attended the funeral of Queen Maud from BRF? Did George VI attend?
I know usually the monarch doesnt attend foreign funerals. But this is his own aunt by blood, and his grandfather's only surviving cjild. He could have attended it.
The Queen has attended all funerals of her uncles/aunts, even those ny marriage..

 

[wbenson]

This contemporary article doesn't list George VI as attending, only the Duke of Kent.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Funeral of HRH Infante Carlos of Spain,Duke of Calabria and Count of Caserta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgmDrWHYW4c

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The funeral of Queen Victoria took place 2nd February 1901
The Funeral at Windsor of Queen Victoria. The Royal Windsor Website.com by ThamesWeb
The video expressed: This video is unavailable.
Please try: YouTube - The Funeral of Queen Victoria 1901

 

[principessa]

After we have seen an "amazing" (I can't decide, which word could be telling my words) state funeral for Queen Elizabeth I wonder how mourning and funerals of other monarchs in the world looks like? Is there always a lying-in-state? Are there always attending heads of state? And so on.

 

[Friedrich Karl II]

After we have seen an "amazing" (I can't decide, which word could be telling my words) state funeral for Queen Elizabeth I wonder how mourning and funerals of other monarchs in the world looks like? Is there always a lying-in-state? Are there always attending heads of state? And so on.

IIRC pope John Paul II's funeral was much smaller thing. There might had been some lying-in-state thing but not such as the queen had.


I cant't remember what Olav V's funeral was altough I watched some parts on TV. But I think that that was smaller event. And I don't think that Rainier III's funeral was very big event either.


So it seems that the queen's funeral was really big thing. But considering how notable event Otto von Habsburg's funeral was, I would imaginate them having quiet massive event if their empire would had lasted to this day.

 

[Mbruno]

I understand that, following the interments of the late Count and Countess of Barcelona, all sepulchres in the Pantheon of the Kings at the Royal Monastery del Escorial will be filled. Has a decision been made yet where King Juan Carlos and the present King of Spain and their consorts will be buried?

 

[Blog Real]

I understand that, following the interments of the late Count and Countess of Barcelona, all sepulchres in the Pantheon of the Kings at the Royal Monastery del Escorial will be filled. Has a decision been made yet where King Juan Carlos and the present King of Spain and their consorts will be buried?

Nothing about it has been released yet. But they can be buried in the Royal Monastery del Escorial, some time ago there was talk of an expansion, but then nothing more was said.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

After we have seen an "amazing" (I can't decide, which word could be telling my words) state funeral for Queen Elizabeth I wonder how mourning and funerals of other monarchs in the world looks like? Is there always a lying-in-state? Are there always attending heads of state? And so on.

The funerals for the Monarch’s in the 3 Scandinavian monarchies are actually quite similar…

The Swedish monarch lie in state in the Royal Palace Chapel in Stockholm. Then there is a state funeral service in Storkyrkan (Stockholm Cathedral) followed by a procession through central Stockholm out to the royal Burial Ground in Hagaparken just outside Stockholm.

The Norwegian monarch lies in state in the Royal Palace Chapel in Oslo. Then there is a procession through central Oslo to Oslo Cathedral where there is a state funeral service, followed ny a procession to Aakershus Fortress for burial.

The Danish Monarch lies in state in Christiansborg Palace Church in Copenhagen. Then there is a procession through central Copenhagen to the main train station where the coffin is taken by train to Roskilde. There it is a procession from Roskilde train station to Roskilde Cathedral for state funeral service and burial.

It’s not on this scale as there is no United kingdoms, no commonwealth countries etc - but there is still a big state funeral service with visiting heads of state and other representatives…

The only european head of state who did not attend the funeral of King Gustaf VI Adolf in 1973 for example was Queen Elizabeth II - but The Duke of Edinburgh, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Lady Pamela Hicks and Princess Alice Countess of Athlone did so UK was represented on a high level anyway.

 

[Friedrich Karl II]

The funerals for the Monarch’s in the 3 Scandinavian monarchies are actually quite similar…

The Swedish monarch lie in state in the Royal Palace Chapel in Stockholm. Then there is a state funeral service in Storkyrkan (Stockholm Cathedral) followed by a procession through central Stockholm out to the royal Burial Ground in Hagaparken just outside Stockholm.

The Norwegian monarch lies in state in the Royal Palace Chapel in Oslo. Then there is a procession through central Oslo to Oslo Cathedral where there is a state funeral service, followed ny a procession to Aakershus Fortress for burial.

The Danish Monarch lies in state in Christiansborg Palace Church in Copenhagen. Then there is a procession through central Copenhagen to the main train station where the coffin is taken by train to Roskilde. There it is a procession from Roskilde train station to Roskilde Cathedral for state funeral service and burial.

It’s not on this scale as there is no United kingdoms, no commonwealth countries etc - but there is still a big state funeral service with visiting heads of state and other representatives…

The only european head of state who did not attend the funeral of King Gustaf VI Adolf in 1973 for example was Queen Elizabeth II - but The Duke of Edinburgh, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Lady Pamela Hicks and Princess Alice Countess of Athlone did so UK was represented on a high level anyway.

Why the queen didn't attend?

 

[Curryong]

I believe the Queen never attended funerals except of her very nearest and dearest. And that included other monarchs. (An exception also was the State funeral of Winston Churchill.) I think she attended King Baudouin of Belgium’s funeral but it was rumoured that she felt pressured to do so at the time.

 

[noc]

It is long standing tradition that the reigning monarchs not attend funerals. This tradition was only broken when William IV attended his brother, King George IV funeral

 

[An Ard Ri]

I understand that, following the interments of the late Count and Countess of Barcelona, all sepulchres in the Pantheon of the Kings at the Royal Monastery del Escorial will be filled. Has a decision been made yet where King Juan Carlos and the present King of Spain and their consorts will be buried?

There are other sites where King Juan Carlos could be buried or he could opt for cremation and have his ashes interned.
I'm sure there's a plan in place,Queen Sofia could also request to be buried in Greece?

 

[Friedrich Karl II]

There are other sites where King Juan Carlos could be buried or he could opt for cremation and have his ashes interned.
I'm sure there's a plan in place,Queen Sofia could also request to be buried in Greece?

I have thought that Catholics don't pracrise creamtion or at least not usually.

 

[sarahedwards2]

I have thought that Catholics don't pracrise creamtion or at least not usually.

They do; however the ashes must be buried.

 

[Blog Real]

King Juan Carlos will be buried in El Escorial. Spain should give him a state funeral and be buried in El Escorial, where almost all the Kings of Spain and the queens who were mothers of kings are buried. I don't believe it is otherwise.
As for Queen Sofia, she will also be buried in El Escorial, or else in the Royal Cemetery of Tatoi, Greece. But I believe more in the first option.

 

[Biri]

King Juan Carlos will be buried in El Escorial. Spain should give him a state funeral and be buried in El Escorial, where almost all the Kings of Spain and the queens who were mothers of kings are buried. I don't believe it is otherwise.
As for Queen Sofia, she will also be buried in El Escorial, or else in the Royal Cemetery of Tatoi, Greece. But I believe more in the first option.

Are there still free sites for King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia?

 

[Blog Real]

Are there still free sites for King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia?

No, not even for Juan Carlos and Sofia. They will probably have to expand the pantheon of kings or they can put it in another corner of the Monastery of El Escorial.
But I believe they will be buried at El Escorial. In fact, before going to the pantheon, the bodies have to stay up to 25 years in the royal pudridero in another area of the monastery, for the body to decompose. Only when the bodies finish their decomposition can they pass to the Pantheon of Kings.

 

[southwind]

Not true et all. And you could do whatever you want with them.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

Why the queen didn't attend?

It has been a long tradition through several monarchs that the british monarch does not attend the funeral of Foreign monarchs but is represented by other family members… Don’t ask me why because i don’t know

The only exception in the reign of QEII was for King Baudouin of the Belgians… No official explanation has ever been given but as King Baudouin died in the middle of the summer holidays and all monarch’s put their holiday plans on hold and travelled to Brussels, it is rumoured that she was strongly advised to attend in person, as it would have looked bad for her had she stayed at Balmoral doing nothing while all the others attended…

Charles III attended, as Prince of Wales, the funerals of King Olav V of Norway and of Pope John Paul II

 

[Friedrich Karl II]

Charles III attended, as Prince of Wales, the funerals of King Olav V of Norway and of Pope John Paul II

He too attended to funeral of last king of Romania Michael I.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I have thought that Catholics don't pracrise creamtion or at least not usually.

Infanta Pilar the sister of King Juan Carlos was cremated in January 2020 and her ashes buried at her husbands family plot.

 

[Stefan]

I understand that, following the interments of the late Count and Countess of Barcelona, all sepulchres in the Pantheon of the Kings at the Royal Monastery del Escorial will be filled. Has a decision been made yet where King Juan Carlos and the present King of Spain and their consorts will be buried?

I think there ws once a Report that a copy of the Pantheon would be build behind it and then they 2 rooms would be connected through the space where now a little Altar is. But nothing official.

Anyway if the will come to the Escorial there will be plenty of time as they will first come to the Pudridero.
I think the Count and Countess of Barcelona who died in 1993 and 2000 are still there.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

He too attended to funeral of last king of Romania Michael I.

The Prince of Wales represented the Queen at the funeral of Prince Claus of the Netherlands ( picture ).


The Duke of Edinburgh represented the Queen at the funeral of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands ( picture ).


The Duke of Edinburgh represented the Queen at the funeral of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands ( picture ).

 

[ducdalbe]

It has been a long tradition through several monarchs that the british monarch does not attend the funeral of Foreign monarchs but is represented by other family members… Don’t ask me why because i don’t know

The only exception in the reign of QEII was for King Baudouin of the Belgians… No official explanation has ever been given but as King Baudouin died in the middle of the summer holidays and all monarch’s put their holiday plans on hold and travelled to Brussels, it is rumoured that she was strongly advised to attend in person, as it would have looked bad for her had she stayed at Balmoral doing nothing while all the others attended…

Charles III attended, as Prince of Wales, the funerals of King Olav V of Norway and of Pope John Paul II

I always assumed that she went to King Baudouin’s funeral because he was the most senior monarch in Europe at the time of his death (1951).

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I always assumed that she went to King Baudouin’s funeral because he was the most senior monarch in Europe at the time of his death (1951).

Possibly.

And King Baudouin died in the summer holiday while staying in Motril (Andalucía, Spain).
The Queen also was enjoying vacation and was staying at Balmoral . She had no "excuse" not to interrupt her vacation.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I think there ws once a Report that a copy of the Pantheon would be build behind it and then they 2 rooms would be connected through the space where now a little Altar is. But nothing official.

Anyway if the will come to the Escorial there will be plenty of time as they will first come to the Pudridero.
I think the Count and Countess of Barcelona who died in 1993 and 2000 are still there.

Also of note that several members of the Spanish RF were buried at the Almudena Cathedral or Cathedral of Our Lady in Madrid.

Her Majesty Queen Mercedes, Queen of Spain (1860–1878)
His Highness Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria (1884–1958)
His Highness Jose Eugenio, Prince of Bavaria (1909–1966)
His Highness Luis Alfonso, Prince of Bavaria (1906–1983)
Her Highness Doña María de la Asunción Solange de Mesía y de Lesseps, Princess of Bavaria and Countess of Odiel (1911–2005)

 

[Stefanie]

Do royals have to keep a period of mourning where they aren' t allowed to attend royal weddings, enthronements, birthdays or else?