It will be the sad event of King Charles‘ funeral that will finally bring the sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, closer together. Pending the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham in 2027, and to which the sovereign’s second son has invited his father, Charles has already given instructions on how his funeral ceremony should take place.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with their children, would be invited to attend, as well as, of course, the rest of the family. According to the Telegraph, the monarch is adamant that his youngest son take his rightful place at the center of the family, perhaps aware of that last chance to rediscover a family harmony that has disappeared for years.
The planning of such important ceremonial events, such as the king’s funeral, begins decades in advance and evolves over time through briefings with senior representatives of the royal household, police, army and Church. According to the British newspaper, the Sussexes are still involved at the highest levels in the preparations for the sovereign’s funeral and Harry is expected to walk alongside his brother, who will then become king, at the head of the processions through the streets of central London.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be invited to take part in the family vigil during the funeral ceremony at Westminster Hall and will have a prominent role alongside senior members of the royal family during the funeral service. Arrangements have also been made for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the king’s youngest grandchildren, to attend the funeral at Westminster Abbey, as well as the funeral ceremony at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, should they wish.
Putting aside any differences and approving plans that place the Sussexes at the center of his funeral, the king will ensure that his last public act unites his family. And although the duke has vowed never to bring his family back to the UK unless he can guarantee full police protection, everyone would automatically be involved in official security operations for the occasion.
As was the case for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the code name for the organization of King Charles’ funeral is also “Operation London Bridge” and the ceremony will be very similar to the one held for the sovereign in 2022, although the monarch has made some changes that reflect his personal beliefs. His ongoing commitment to the environment is expected to be recognized through sustainable choices, where possible. The mourning period will also be reduced: it will begin on the death of the king and will last a maximum of 11 days, until the day of his funeral. Instead, when Elizabeth II died, the period of royal mourning continued for another week after her funeral.
—Adnkronos International, Rome (TNS)
©2025 GMC S.A.P.A. di G. P. Marra. Visit at adnkronos.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
