Prince George and Princess Charlotte join service for great-grandfather Philip

Prince George and Princess Charlotte have made a rare public appearance in honour of their great-grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The eight-year-old future king and his six-year-old sister joined their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at the memorial service for Philip on Tuesday.

Five of the Queen and the duke’s large brood of 12 great-grandchildren gathered in Westminster Abbey, with Savannah and Isla Phillips and Mia Tindall also there.

The occasion gave the youngest generation of royals the chance to remember their much-loved great-grandfather, after they were unable to attend his funeral due to Covid restrictions.

George – who will one day be monarch – and Charlotte’s appearance marks a key moment in their public lives, being the first major televised church service they have attended.

Charlotte, in a smart navy frock coat, had the sides of her hair neatly plaited and secured with a bow.

She held Kate’s hand, while George, in a suit and tie, clutched William’s as they entered the Abbey.

The princess gave a small smile as her mother, who was wearing a high-necked black Alessandra Rich dress with white polka dots and a wide-brimmed hat, looked down at her.

At home was the youngest member of the Cambridge family, Prince Louis, who at only three years old was considered too little to attend.

George and Charlotte carried out traditional royal line-up duties, shaking hands with the clergy who bent down to speak to them, with Charlotte giving a large grin as she stuck close to Kate.

Having all walked the length of the church through the Nave and Quire in front of the packed congregation, the family took their seats, with the prince and princess were placed between their parents – in the row behind their great-grandmother or “Gan Gan” the Queen.

During the first hymn, William pointed out the page in the order of service for George.

George was later seen to gaze upwards, taking in the magnificent vaulted Abbey ceiling as he sat between his father and his sister in the historic surroundings.

Charlotte was seen peering out from her seat behind her great aunt the Princess Royal and husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

The pair have appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour, and joined their parents on official tours when younger, but this is the first time they have taken part in an event on this scale.

They joined in with the hymns using their service sheets, and the rendition of the national anthem, having learnt the words off by heart.

As the youngsters made their way past hundreds of guests to the Great West Door at the end of the service, George bit his lip, while Charlotte glanced around at people, giving the occasional smile.

William place a guiding hand on George’s shoulder as they met clergy near the exit.

Westminster Abbey is a focal point for royal celebrations, coronations, commemorations and funerals

It will undoubtedly serve as such for the siblings in the future.

The gothic church in central London is where their parents married, and where William said his final farewell to his mother – who George and Charlotte refer to as “Granny Diana” – when he was 15.

Peter Phillips’ children, Savannah, 11, and Isla, were sitting next to their cousin Mia, daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall.

The service coincidentally fell on Isla’s tenth birthday.

Mia, eight, was seen to silently mouth words to her mother Zara during the proceedings, and later held hands with both parents as she departed.

The girls were dressed in navy with their hair fixed back with headbands.

Many of the Queen and Philip’s great-grandchildren are still babies or toddlers.

The couple’s 12 great-grandchildren are Savannah, Isla, George, Mia, Charlotte, Prince Louis, Lena Tindall, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, August Brooksbank, Lucas Tindall, Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, and Sienna Mapelli Mozzi.

Lili and Sienna were born in the months following Philip’s death.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have remained in the US, where they live with two-year-old Archie and nine-month-old Lili, rather than travelling back for the service.

The duke wants to bring his children to visit from the US, but he and his family are “unable to return to his home” because it is too dangerous, his legal representative has said.