The Tudor's chief mourners

The College of Arms decided who would be the chief mourner at a royal funeral, as they had to be next in status, but not higher, to the deceased as well as being of the same gender. Also, the chief mourner had to hold a banquet after the funeral, and often also pay for this. Black cloth had to provided for all members of the funeral procession, this material alone would be costly. Therefore it was common that members of the family often declined the role of chief mourner.
The chief mourners for many of the Tudor family members;

1492: Queen Elizabeth Woodville, St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle - Anne Plantagenet, her daughter.
1502: Prince Arthur Tudor, Worcester Cathedral - Thomas Howard the Earl of Surrey.
1503: Queen Elizabeth of York, Westminster Abbey - Katherine Plantagenet the Countess of Devon.
1500: Prince Edmund Tudor, Chapel of St Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey - Edward Stafford the Duke of Buckingham.
1509: King Henry VII, Westminster Abbey - Edward Stafford the Duke of Buckingham.
1527: Katherine Plantagenet, Countess of Devon, Tiverton Castle - Lady Elizabeth Carew.
1533: Princess Mary Rose Tudor, Queen of France, Benedictine Abbey at Bury St Edmund's - Frances Brandon.

Funeral of Princess Mary Rose Tudor, Queen Dowager of France

1536: Catharine of Aragon, Peterborough Cathedral - Eleanor Brandon.
1536: Anne Boleyn, Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London - Margaret Wyatt Lee.
1537: Queen Jane Seymour, St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle - Princess Mary Tudor.
1547: King Henry VIII, St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle - Henry Grey the Marquis of Dorset.
1548: Dowager Queen Katherine Parr, St Mary's Chapel at Sudeley Castle - Lady Jane Grey.
1553: King Edward VI, Westminster Abbey - William Paulet the Marquis of Winchester.
1554: Lady Jane Grey, Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London - Mrs Ellen.
1557: Anne of Cleves, Westminster Abbey - Elizabeth Seymour, sister to Queen Jane Seymour.
1557: Mary Howard, widow of Henry FitzRoy, St Michael's Church in Framlingham - Frances Howard the Countess of Surrey.
1558: Queen Mary I, Westminster Abbey - Margaret Douglas.
1559: Frances Brandon, Westminster Abbey - Katherine Grey.
1578: Mary Grey, Westminster Abbey - Susan Bertie the Countess of Kent.
1587: Mary, Queen of Scots, Peterborough Cathedral - Bridget Hussey.
1603: Queen Elizabeth I, Westminster Abbey - Helena Snakenborg the Marchioness of Northampton (Arbella Stuart was removed from this role).

Funeral procession of Queen Elizabeth I