After Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, Princess Kate Middleton and Prince William made it a priority to maintain a sense of normalcy for their children.

Though Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis were still quite young at the time of their great-grandmother’s death in September 2022, they were old enough to understand that the nation was in mourning. Following her passing, King Charles took the throne.

George and Charlotte attended Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and were commended for their composed and respectful behavior throughout the ceremony. Observers even noticed a touching moment when Charlotte quietly reminded George to bow his head as the Queen’s coffin passed by during the procession.

Despite being in the official mourning period, Kate and William resumed their royal duties just days after the Queen’s death. One of their first public appearances was at Windsor Guildhall, where they met with volunteers and staff who had helped manage the large crowds that came to Windsor to pay tribute during the funeral. In line with royal mourning protocol, the Prince and Princess of Wales dressed in black out of respect.

The official mourning period began on the day of the Queen’s death and lasted until seven days after her funeral.

Queen Elizabeth’s cause of death was listed as old age, though former Prime Minister Boris Johnson later claimed in his memoir that she had been diagnosed with bone cancer prior to her passing. Buckingham Palace has not confirmed or commented on that claim.

During their visit to Windsor Guildhall, Kate shared a moment that highlighted her children’s curiosity about the events unfolding around them.