Why couldn't Richard attend Anne's funeral?

Hi, Ishita,

>Eileen, why could not Richard have attended Anne's funeral? What about the"rumor" that he cried at her funeral? Time travel seems to be the only way.....

The first-chapter preview on Amazon of "The Last Days of Richard III" says that "in accordance with established royal protocol, the king himself was doubtless absent -- at least officially -- from all these ceremonies." There's a reference to footnote 22 which no doubt offers more commentary on the statement, but I haven't access to that. Perhaps someone with a copy of the book will help?

As for the rumor that he cried at the funeral (and he very well could have, if he wasn't "officially" there, but still watching), I found this blog and discussion online from 2010:

http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/posts/richard-the-mourner/

The author is an historical novelist, and she thanks the "Richard III Society's private Yahoo group" for discussing it with her. Perhaps it, and the comments below the blog, will offer some clues until someone with more knowledge can step in?

~Wednesday

--- In , "wednesday_mc" <wednesday.mac@...> wrote:
>
>> The first-chapter preview on Amazon of "The Last Days of Richard III" says that "in accordance with established royal protocol, the king himself was doubtless absent -- at least officially -- from all these ceremonies." There's a reference to footnote 22 which no doubt offers more commentary on the statement, but I haven't access to that. Perhaps someone with a copy of the book will help?
>

(Repeated message as my previous one disappeared.)

The previous time a queen died during her king's lifetime was 1394 (Anne of Bohemia) Richard II definitely attended the funeral, as he hit the Earl of Arundel over the head with a staff for disrespect.

So at some point 'protocol' changed. I don't recall reading any account of Anne of Warwick's funeral and I doubt we know whether Richard III attended or not.

Brian W.

"English kings at this period did not openly attend funerals of members of the royal family, even though they were sometimes present semi-secretly, in a screened 'closet': A.F. Suttton, and L. Visser-Fuchs with R.A.Griffiths, 'The Royal Funerals of the House of York at Windsor', London, 2005, p.50"

--- In , "Brian" <wainwright.brian@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> --- In , "wednesday_mc" <wednesday.mac@> wrote:
> >
> >> The first-chapter preview on Amazon of "The Last Days of Richard III" says that "in accordance with established royal protocol, the king himself was doubtless absent -- at least officially -- from all these ceremonies." There's a reference to footnote 22 which no doubt offers more commentary on the statement, but I haven't access to that. Perhaps someone with a copy of the book will help?
> >
>
> (Repeated message as my previous one disappeared.)
>
> The previous time a queen died during her king's lifetime was 1394 (Anne of Bohemia) Richard II definitely attended the funeral, as he hit the Earl of Arundel over the head with a staff for disrespect.
>
> So at some point 'protocol' changed. I don't recall reading any account of Anne of Warwick's funeral and I doubt we know whether Richard III attended or not.
>
> Brian W.
>