Pippa Middleton, Prince Louis and Other Royal Family Members Who Missed Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II from afar. On Monday, September 19, members of the royal family paid their final respects to the late monarch by attending the state funeral service held at Westminster Abbey. The queen, who reigned for more than 70 years, died on September 8 at her summer home, Balmoral Castle in Scotland, at age 96.

King Charles III — who took over her royal duties following his mother’s passing — along with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, his eldest son Prince William, Princess Kate (née Middleton), Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, among others, were all in attendance at the moving ceremony. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, who stepped down from their roles as senior royals in 2020, were also present at the event. However, some royal family members and key players were absent from the funeral. Keep reading for more details. 

Why Did Prince Louis Miss Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral?

William, Prince of Wales, and Kate, Princess of Wales, share three children together — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. While Prince George of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales were photographed alongside their mother at the funeral, their youngest sibling, Prince Louis of Wales, was noticeably missing.

According to Kate, the 4-year-old is having difficulty understanding the Queen’s passing.

“The younger one is now asking questions like, ‘Do you think we can still play these games when we go to Balmoral,’ and things like that, because she’s not going to be there,” Governor-General David Hurley of Australia recalled to reporters, per the Daily Mail, after speaking with the Princess of Wales at King Charles III‘s reception on Sunday, September 18, which took place at Buckingham Palace.

The Governor-General noted that Prince Louis has been asking “lots of questions” about his great-grandmother’s death. However, “The older one is sort of now realizing how important his great-grandmother was and what is going on,” referring to Prince George, 9.

Why Did Pippa Middleton Miss Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral?

While she isn’t a member of the royal family, Princess Kate’s sister, Pippa Middleton, was also absent from the funeral, along with their brother, James Middleton. It’s unclear exactly why she failed to make an appearance. However, it has been reported that there were only two tickets per household due to limited capacity and their parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were both in attendance.

Scroll through the gallery to see which other royal family members were absent from Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.