The Vigil of the Princes is a ceremony that was first recorded in 1936 at King George V’s funeral.
The Vigil of the Princes is a modern royal tradition that took place at King George V’s funeral in 1936. According to The Mirror, George’s sons, King Edward VIII, King George VI, Prince Henry, and Prince George, stood guard in front of their father’s coffin in Westminster Hall.
The solemn ceremony took place again in 2002 during the Queen Mother’s funeral. King Charles III, along with Princes Andrew and Edward were flanked by their cousin Viscount Linley and stood guard for 20 minutes.
The vigil, up until that point, was reserved for male members of the royal family.
Charles and his four siblings honored their late mother at St. Giles’ Cathedral with the first of two vigils on September 12. The ceremony also broke precedent with a historic twist.
On September 12, Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward honored Queen Elizabeth with a silent vigil, standing guard around her coffin for 10 minutes as mourners filed by.
Anne, who accompanied her brothers in military dress, made history as the first woman to participate in the vigil.
On Friday, Queen Elizabeth’s children held a second vigil at Westminster Hall.
Insider’s Erin Snodgrass reported that the four siblings were joined by members of the military who have kept a 24-hour watch over the late monarch’s remains. As onlookers passed by the group stood in silence with their hands clasped and heads bowed, as they did at the vigil at St. Giles’ Cathedral.
Friday’s vigil was also the first time all four family members donned military regalia. Prince Andrew previously wore a morning suit to ceremonies surrounding the Queen’s death. Earlier this year Andrew was stripped of his military titles over his connection to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
One of the most powerful moments occurred on Saturday as the Queen’s grandchildren held a vigil at Westminster Hall.
Prince William and Prince Harry joined their cousins — Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise, and James, Viscount Severn — all of whom stood guard around the coffin for 15 minutes.
The group was joined by the military and silently bowed their heads and clasped their hands just like their predecessors.
Prince William and Prince Harry led the procession as the group filed in around Queen Elizabeth’s coffin.
Prince Harry and Prince William donned military regalia for the solemn occasion, a departure from a statement by Harry’s spokesperson who confirmed the Duke of Sussex would wear a morning suit during ceremonies for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
However, Harry’s father King Charles III reversed the decision, allowing Harry to wear his uniform during the ceremony, marking his decade of military service.
The Duke of Sussex was stripped of his military titles in 2020 after he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back as senior royals in 2020.
Some royal fans pointed out the striking similarity between James, Viscount Severn at the vigil, and a younger Prince William during Princes Diana’s funeral in 1997.
Royal fans pointed out the stark contrast between a young Prince William and James, Viscount Severn, 14, during moments of profound grief.
According to the Daily Mail, one social media user tweeted: “Young James Viscount Severn looks so much like Prince William when he was of a similar age and having to go through so much pain publicly, such a brave young man #Respect.”
William, who was 15 in 1997 when Princess Diana died was famously photographed walking behind his mother’s coffin alongside his father King Charles, brother Prince Harry, grandfather, Prince Philip, and uncle Charles Spencer.
Viscount Severn held his head in the same motion and sported a haircut similar to William at the time, on Saturday.