Queen Elizabeth

[DJ360 6,385]

 

Actually watched all of the funeral on BBC. Impressive choreography etc..and learned a bit about St George's Chapel, which is certainly a very fine building.
I haven't set foot in Windsor since I was temporarily transferred from the Wheatsheaf in Virginia Water, to some pub in Windsor during the disposal of the late Duke of Windsor.
Anyway, it was tolerable viewing for a lazy day, but as ever the BBC has now, under the guise of BBC News, already started the not very edited highlights. Do they ever give up?

I'm off out for a slightly longer short walk than yesterday.

[Jill Sparrow 9,673]

I watched some of both services. Mainly to see what sort of music they were having.

 

 Oh dear. Someone needs to teach Liz Truss how to speak in public! Poor effort. Baroness Scotland who preceded her in reading a lesson did brilliantly, by comparison.

 

Dean of Windsor  left a lot to be desired in his delivery. I've been to so many funerals where the clergyman officiating had sewing-machine delivery. Not at all convincing. If they don't sound as though they believe it, how do they expect anyone else to do so?  He needs some lessons from the Garter King of Arms, whose delivery was excellent.

[mary1947 1,907]

Watched most of both sevice's and I agree with you Jill about the spaekers. What about the music? if you are not depressed when you start watching you are ready to slash your wrist when music finishd  I was hopping the a group of Gosple singer's would come along with Whopp Goldberg.

 

BUT you have to hand it to us BRITISH 

There are only us who cover every detail.

[DAVIDW 1,625]

I agree about the music . 

I don't know what the organ music was as they were leaving the first service but it sounded like a child messing about , just pressing random keys .

[Jill Sparrow 9,673]

@DAVIDWit was Bach! 

[West Bridgfordian 126]

32 minutes ago, Jill Sparrow said:

@DAVIDWit was Bach! 

Barbara Bach?

[LizzieM 9,272]

I’m surprised nobody’s yet mentioned that giant of a man in the procession following the coffin.  Google was my friend during the tv coverage and I found out he is Matthew Magee, the Queen’s Assistant Private Secretary.  A man with a great sense of humour and presumably very large feet to help him carry 7’2” around.  He previously worked for Prince Edward.  

[woody 516]

Despite the sadness of the occasion it was a demonstration to the rest of the world that nobody matches the British when it comes to pageantry and ceremony. The precision throughout was magnificent.

[radfordred 6,278]

I watched the BBC coverage right up until they rolled out Alan Titchmarsh then I cut the grass. 

[nonnaB 4,761]

I agree Woody. I was unable to watch the funeral yesterday so Im hoping to watch it today. I was interested to see what the Italian thoughts were on TV last night when I got home. Of course as in everything there are mixed reviews but I was proud when one journalist said " yes the whole thing was long but it was beautiful to watch, nothing can compare with the British way of ceremonies like that and I think we have a lot to learn" 

Well done Britain.

[DavidA 153]

I only meant to watch a bit of it, but I ended up watching all day. It was perfect in every way - I love the organ - and very intense. I can still hear that big drum from the procession in my mind now!

[philmayfield 5,509]

I polished two cars and cut a hedge.

[Alpha 166]

The whole period of so-called mourning, was vastly overdone, annoyingly repetitive and some of the interviews, with Uncle Tom Cobley and all, was unnecessary. The BBC mostly, and other media, at the expense of world events, just saturated the nation with a spectacle, which I found patronizing and at times, embarrassing. 

A spectacle of pageantry that should be left to history. 

 

 

 

 

 

[philmayfield 5,509]

Who paid for it? I doubt the royals dipped into their extensive reserves.

[The Engineer 542]

Enjoyed the cessation of TV adverts all day.  They should do that more often.  Meant to catch Phil and Holly's 'fly on the wall', totally legit coverage today but forgot.

As for 'who paid', maybe Charles can cash in a decent life insurance policy if She had one.  Failing that, I guess it was you and I.  The clue is in the title 'State' funeral.

[Alpha 166]

9 minutes ago, philmayfield said:

Who paid for it? I doubt the royals dipped into their extensive reserves.

That was just what I was thinking, taken from the deep pockets of the taxpayer no doubt. 

[The Engineer 542]

I read that the coffin was raised again from the Royal Vault yesterday evening (on the electric hoist), as was the coffin of Prince Phillip.  Both were taken around to the King George VI Memorial Chapel (later addition to St George's Chapel, completed 1969) to join her parents and sister.  All done in private.

[Jill Sparrow 9,673]

I read a few years ago that the Queen would not be interred in the King George VI memorial chapel because there was no space for any further burials. The chapel is a tiny addition to the original building and still looks a bit like a carbuncle from the exterior. It will be centuries before it blends in. Philip, I believe, had expressed a wish to be interred in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore but HMQ wasn't likely to opt for that. Too close to Wallis Simpson!

 

Somehow, they've obviously been squashed in with George VI.

[Stuart.C 430]

The King George V1 vault was built for 3 monarchs and their partners.

It's said that King George didn't want to be buried with the rest of the previous Monarchs

Requested and paid for by QE2

 

King George VI

QE2

KIng Charles III (or a.n.other if Charles didn't make it)

 

Princess Margaret was cremated as there was no room for her otherwise in the vault.

 

Just to note, the cost of QE2's funeral is split (unkown cost as yet, between UK Gov and the Royal family)

[Hey Arnold 71]

As someone who has paid tax all my life from the age of 16  I would far rather those monies were spent on the funeral of The Queen, who served the country tirelessly from her accesssion to the throne, than being sent abroad to countries who have nuclear weapons, space programmes etc whilst spending little or nothing on the welfare of their own citizens and who also despise the UK. I would also guess that the money we spend on so called refugees who arrive on our shores, and are given housing & benefits from the deep pockets of the taxpayer, without having contributed to the economy of the UK is a not inconsiderable sum. 

[Beekay 4,400]

Do I detect that @Alpha and @philmayfield are not in the region of being Monarchists.?

[philmayfield 5,509]

A republican atheist BK. Just when I thought the mawkish behaviour was over and things were getting back to normal the papers were full of it again this morning. The lucky royals have a further week of mourning whilst the rest of us have to get back to work. Not me of course, I never stopped.

[Jill Sparrow 9,673]

12 minutes ago, philmayfield said:

A republican atheist BK

He's written a book on atheism, you know, Beekay. He's praying it will sell! 

[philmayfield 5,509]

.... to the god of mammon. Sadly he’s another deity that doesn’t exist but I live in hope.

[Oztalgian 2,923]

On 9/20/2022 at 7:35 AM, woody said:

Despite the sadness of the occasion it was a demonstration to the rest of the world that nobody matches the British when it comes to pageantry and ceremony.

Yes! No one does Pomp and Circumcision like the Brits