In a conversation, later recounted by the Governor General of Australia, David Hurley, Kate said George was just beginning to understand “how important” his great-grandmother was and that Louis was asking questions about whether they could still play games at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, even though the queen was no longer there to join in.

The queen’s death occurred at Balmoral on September 8. It was announced by Buckingham Palace on Sunday that two of her great-grandchildren, George and Charlotte, would take part in the procession of her state funeral on Monday at Westminster Abbey, London, alongside their parents and uncle and aunt, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The children’s maternal grandparents, Michael and Carole Middleton, would also attend.

Recalling a conversation he had with the princess during a reception for Commonwealth dignitaries held at Buckingham Palace on Saturday, Hurley told a group of Australians how the Prince of Wales’s children were coming to terms with their loss.

“The older one sort of now realizes how important his great-grandmother was with all that’s going on,” Hurley said.

“The younger one’s sort of asking, ‘Oh, does that mean we can still play these games when we go to Balmoral?’ because she’s not going to be there.”

The princess has said how her youngest son, Louis, had helped to comfort her after the news of the queen’s death was broken to them.

During a walkabout at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England, to meet mourners and view floral tributes left to the late queen, Kate said to an emotional well-wisher:

“The whole nation’s having to be brave, aren’t they? Don’t worry. I have plenty of moments like this too.

“My little Louis, he’s so sweet. He said, ‘Mummy, don’t worry, because she’s now with great-grandpa.”

Again, speaking to well-wishers, Kate said that “George understands the loss of their great-grandmother, but Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis less so.”

The inclusion of George and Charlotte in the funeral procession for the queen comes as they both attended the memorial service held on March 29 after the death of their great-grandfather Prince Philip in April 2021.

The Prince of Wales’s children have had a year of increased public visibility as they took part in events celebrating the queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, which included two balcony appearances and a visit to Wales for George and Charlotte alongside their parents.

Kate’s conversation with the Australian governor general comes after the country’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed during an interview on Friday that “preliminary discussions” had taken place about the newly elevated Prince and Princess of Wales paying an official visit Down Under.

Speaking to Britain’s ITV News, Albanese said: “There have been some preliminary discussions about the now Prince and Princess of Wales visiting Australia.”

He also added his hope that “if they visit, they would bring their children with them.”

Albanese has been a vocal supporter for Australia becoming a republic, but recent polling following the accession of King Charles III has revealed that support for a republic has fallen five points since 2012.

A Roy Morgan survey undertaken on September 12 of just over 1,000 adults, as King Charles was four days into his new reign, showed that 60 percent of Australians believed that the country should remain a monarchy, with 40 percent voting in favor of a republic.

While Albanese confirmed discussions about an Australian visit for the Waleses had taken place, when contacted by Newsweek, representatives for the prince and princess said that focus for the family at this time was solely on mourning Queen Elizabeth II.