Lady Sarah McCorquodale (née Spencer) and Family

[Alison H]

Walking behind the coffin isn't really a thing. It's unusual for a funeral to take place within walking distance of home, unless it's at a village church, so the close family will normally just get into a funeral car. But, if people do walk behind the coffin, there's no reason women can't - I'm not sure why Diana's sisters didn't.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Alison H

Walking behind the coffin isn't really a thing. It's unusual for a funeral to take place within walking distance of home, unless it's at a village church, so the close family will normally just get into a funeral car. But, if people do walk behind the coffin, there's no reason women can't - I'm not sure why Diana's sisters didn't.

Tradition. traditionally at royal funerals the male members walk, not female ones. So Charles Spencer and the boys.. but as they were very young, Philip and Prince Ch also walked ot support them

[irish_royalist]

Originally Posted by Alison H

Walking behind the coffin isn't really a thing. It's unusual for a funeral to take place within walking distance of home, unless it's at a village church, so the close family will normally just get into a funeral car. But, if people do walk behind the coffin, there's no reason women can't - I'm not sure why Diana's sisters didn't.

In Northern Ireland, and most of Ireland especially in rural areas, it's still very common (in non-Covid times at least!) for mourners to walk behind the coffin - normally a short funeral service is held in the family home, the coffin will be carried with mourners walking behind for a certain distance (if the family own a farm, the coffin will be carried along the road to the end of the family farm), and then the coffin will be placed in the hearse and driven to the local church for often another service, and burial in the churchyard. A lovely dignified tradition, but sadly becoming less and less common.