Queen Elizabeth is DEAD TO ME (Official Part 2)

The British are being so kind to not fuck with Meghan when she’s playing Royal for a day

I’m so embarrassed for he. It’s the height of cringe 😬

Anne, Tim, Edward, Sophie, Andrew, Zara, Peter, Beatrice, Eugenie, Louise outside church in Scotland.

Reading tributes left behind.

I read Anne will accompany the Queen's body on the flight from Edinburgh to London.

Funeral Monday September 19th.

William is playing it so cool 😎

The Queen will need the contents of her handbag on the other side.

Zara Tindall seems especially choked up. Moving.

God Bless the Queen. She wore the crown well.

The official purple crown.

[quote] Anne, Tim, Edward, Sophie, Andrew, Zara, Peter, Beatrice, Eugenie, Louise outside church in Scotland.

Given that Louise was there was James, Viscount Severn, there? If not, where was he?

Tea from The Times:

Although the brothers put on a show of unity at Windsor, it is understood that the camps required extended negotiations behind the scenes beforehand, delaying their arrival for the walkabout by 45 minutes.

A spokesman for the Prince and Princess of Wales said: “The Prince of Wales invited the Duke and Duchess to join him and the Princess of Wales. The Prince of Wales thought it was an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family.”

Palace officials also refused to say whether Harry and Meghan’s children, Archie and Lilibet, would be styled as prince and princess with HRH titles, as protocol would usually allow for the grandchildren of the sovereign.

[quote] Zara Tindall seems especially choked up. Moving.

Queen Zara.

Pulled stuff from an article in The Times… it shows a bit of a timeline. Looks like there was real concern from before seven in the morning of the day she died but that she did not go late mid-afternoon:

In Balmoral, concerned aides to the Queen had also raised the alarm with those around Prince Charles. The monarch’s burgundy-liveried helicopter was dispatched from Windsor at 6.48am to collect the heir to the throne from Dumfries House in Ayrshire. Charles arrived at Balmoral by 10.30am.

…..By the time Ms Truss’s convoy swept into Parliament from Downing Street 20 minutes later, at 10.50am, Mr Case (Simon Case, cabinet secretary and former Private Secretary to Prince William) was already beginning to ratchet the Downing Street and wider Whitehall machine into action.

Ms Truss was in her Commons office, yards from the Commons chamber, making the final preparations for her statement, when she was informed that the Queen’s death was believed to be “imminent”.

The sequence of events helps to account for the sombre expression on Ms Truss’s face as she entered the chamber shortly before 11.40am, when she exchanged brief words with Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons Speaker, before making her way to her place on the front bench. It also explains why Mr Zahawi’s later intervention did not cause visible shock or surprise.

He began whispering into the Prime Minister’s ear before handing her a note folded into a square.

A similar note was passed to Angela Rayner, Sir Keir’s deputy, as the Labour leader continued his response.

A quarter of an hour later, a statement from Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen’s doctors were “concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision”. The statement added: “The Queen remains comfortable.”

At 4.30pm she was in the Prime Minister’s flat above No 11 Downing Street when a telephone call came through from the Palace. It fell to Mr Case to pass on the message: the Queen had died.

Also Times or Telegraph:

The Prince and Princess of Wales will delay moving into Windsor Castle in order to avoid more upheaval for their children after moving house just a week ago, according to royal sources.

The couple had hoped to bring a dose of normality to their three children’s lives by living in the four-bedroomed Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate and doing daily school runs to Lambrook School.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II means that Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte had moved house, had their first day at a new school and lost their great-grandmother in the space of six days.

There is an expectation that the Prince and Princess will eventually move into Windsor Castle or one of the larger houses on the Windsor estate, something which has become more pressing with their change in status and seniority.

But they have indicated to courtiers that they want to give their children a chance to settle into school and avoid any more upheaval for as long as possible, meaning that decisions on who lives in which property will be put on hold for now.

Those meet the public walkabouts are sooooooo fucking awkward

[quote] Those meet the public walkabouts are sooooooo fucking awkward

Try opening a new Tesco...again and again.

At least there was lunch. For free.

The olive branch has lots of clever thrones embedded in it. Now all the snark, nastiness shit bombs H & M lob will look petty, childish, unloving..But best of all will firmly place all blame for the breakup right in their end of the court.

Clever royals. Pretty clear, how they stayed in for over 1,000 years.

^Sorry for the typo..or autocorrect..meant thorns

Farmers line their tractors in a guard of honour along the route from Balmoral to Edinburgh.

It's small gestures like this, sincere and thoughtful - a bunch of gruff farmers had to agree on this - that I find moving. It's nice to see in the world we inhabit that there is still capacity for something other than cynicism and unkindness.

R7 You forgot the five pound note for the collection basket.

Feels like Camilla is keeping a low profile.

r17 The royals don't open supermarkets and haven't foe many years. Celebrities like soapstars get paid for those type of gigs.

There should be a GoFundMe to send Meghan back to Cali. I like her. She’s also pretty. BUT, she is so completely unsuited for the Royal Family.

As is probably 99% of the population.

I'm Canadian and old by DL standards... I grew up with it... there. We didn't worship, we didn't question. It was just the Queen, always there. Just like it's the sky or water coming out of the tap. Love it or hate it, it was there. Even the people who hate it probably get it. An American really can't get it, which I mean with no insult. You see it differently, understandably.

R27 - Another Canadian here ...she was on our money and our stamps so yes, she was always THERE.

It's like we've lost our Grannie too.

The problem was that there was not going to be the standing in the background and learning for 5 years.

R27 Old by DL standards? Then you must be older than even our dear newly departed Queen…

R28... I actually forgot about the money... yeah, she was super always there!

My view is this - the Liberals are playing a really long game (who I generally always support) and are letting the Crown in Canada wither and die so that when someone finally tries to get rid of it, majority opinion will side with the idea (given how many levels of agreement are constitutionally required to abolish it.) It will probably start with a referendum at some point. I like the idea of constitutional monarchy as a mechanism of government. It is apart from politics. I like the politicians, who I find generally loathsome no matter which party they call home, are deprived of the ability to get into it to feed their own wretched egos through the top job. Let them divide or conquer or even succeed through policy alone. Imagine today that Poliviere was President of the Republic. Hardly unifying. Is monarchy unifying? In moments, it can be, because it isn't part of the sausage factory. Anyway, I expect it will go at some point anyway. I just hope it is not in my lifetime. So much is changing and that's natural and OK, but I admit I would like to keep one thing in the country that resembles the country I've always known.

R27, much younger than that, but over forty, so, yes, ancient by DL standards. (Even though most of DL is obviously well over forty, too, given the intimate knowledge of the Golden Girls.)

I fo wish the funeral was tomorrow and not a week from tomorrow as I’m already speaking with a slightly British accent due to all the talking head gasbags.

do*

What to expect next few days (Telegraph):

The Duke of York will on Monday join his siblings in a solemn procession behind Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, as he prepares to play a central role in national mourning.

He will appear alongside the King, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex at key moments in the coming days, as the family publicly unites in grief.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will also appear at any relevant events involving the late Queen’s grandchildren and their spouses.

That any of them would have been excluded was “out of the question”, said a palace source.

"These plans will be signed off by the King in accordance with his mother's wishes."

Are Oprah & Tyler really flying the new a Prince & Princess over by their private jet?

For dog lovers everywhere.

Sophie and Anne today in Edinburgh.

Anne being Anne, she probably turned around and clocked Sophie.

Any pics from inside Holyroodhouse?

Today, it was like Anne was taking her mother the Queen on her last "Sunday Drive" around the Scottish Highlands she loved so much.

R41 - I haven't seen anything so far.

I watched the arrival of the casket at St Giles, and Anne's misery as she curtsied to her mother as the casket went past her was pretty heart-rending. It made me remember when my sister and I went to our last farewell of our mother before she was buried. It's bad enough privately, having to go through it in front of a billion or so people seems awful.

It’s sweet that tough old Anne’s soft spot is her ma.

St Giles Already? Did they march her in and out of Holyrood?

St. Giles tomorrow, about 9 or 9:30 EST.

I’ve only been as far north as Edinburgh, but what magnificent countryside for one of the queen’s final journeys.

Hah I have a really stupid question, but I’m friggin curious. Was there a gas break for the procession? Bathroom break? Geez six hours in a car is a lot! Maybe they abstained from drinking anything.

[quote]gas break

You mean so people don't have to fart inside the cortege? What a novel concept. Genius, in fact. If it doesn't already exist, Datalounge's attorneys need to copyright this *toot sweet*!

Hah r50, touché. I actually meant gasoline break.

^(I knew, I was just pulling your chain...) -R50

Anyone know how I can download that corgi cartoon? Not able to, so far.

It's more eloquent than the Archbishop of Canterbury (all right, he didn't do too badly in St Paul's).

Has Morrissey issued a statement about the Queen's death? I'm not finding anything.

Morrissey’s a bleed’n 🩸tosser

I’m guessing the music 🎶 will be all beautiful & classical.

With no pop-py performances

Very ethereal and lofty

One thing Charles is good at is picking music. His wedding to Diana was a triumph.

“Time-limited” is the phrase circulating behind palace walls to describe William’s extraordinary gesture to Harry and Meghan.

As a senior source has already confirmed: “The Prince of Wales thought it was an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family.” abled in your browser.

Dismayed by some of the coverage focusing on Harry and Meghan's movements on the day Queen Elizabeth died, rather than the magnitude of her passing, William, 40, resolved to make contact with his brother and sister-in-law.

“Both he and the Princess of Wales felt that the focus should solely be on this period of deep mourning and nothing else,” revealed an insider. Agreeing that, above all, family should come first, Harry resolved to swallow his pride and allow his elder brother take the lead, even conceding to being driven by William in the back of a blacked-out Audi.

Doubts have been cast on reports that King Charles intervened to stop Meghan boarding the Cessna Harry chartered from Luton Airport to fly him to Aberdeen on Thursday.

The truth, according to one palace source, is that “Harry hadn’t even been called” by the time William boarded his own private jet. This was because the heir to the throne had initially been summoned by his father in his constitutional capacity as a Counsellor of State.

While the family knew the Queen was gravely ill when they took off from RAF Northolt on Thursday lunchtime, they didn’t expect her to deteriorate so rapidly - with Charles even thinking that he and William might have been able to host the virtual Privy Council meeting she had postponed the previous day.

A suggestion, widely circulated on Twitter, that William took action after discovering Harry and Meghan were planning to stage their own Windsor walkabout and had asked a US television network to film it, is also wide of the mark.

William extended the 11th hour invitation simply to put on a united front - and Harry accepted it in the same spirit. There was a 45-minute delay between when William and Kate were scheduled to arrive at 4.30pm and their surprise arrival with Harry and Meghan at 5.15pm, because the Sussexes needed to quickly change into mourning dress.

The carefully-planned choreography had the advantage of both keeping a distance between Kate and Meghan - who have barely spoken since Oprah - as well as keeping all the crowds happy, not least after they had waited for hours to pay their respects.

Yet anyone thinking the quartet once known as the "fab four" then retreated for a cosy cup of tea may be over-interpreting the gesture.

There is a clear sense that while hostilities may be on hold until the late Queen is finally laid to rest in the King George VI memorial chapel at Windsor Castle next Monday, significant concerns remain over Harry’s autobiography, currently due to be published before Christmas - as well as Meghan’s declaration in a recent interview that she is “able to tell [my] own story”.

Queen Elizabeth is dead. Long live Queen Vagina!

Last Scottish journey...

See next link.

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R49, they stopped for a good while between Aberdeen and Dundee.

R59 The Telegraph spins what may or may not be the operative fiction. The news consumer will have to bide their time in the hopes of eventually gleaning something that passes for reality.

Charles in Charge

Camilla loves Tchotchkes

[quote]The official purple crown.

That's The Imperial State Crown, one of the official symbols of her Sovereignty. It's so heavy she was unable to wear for the past several years -- it would have snapped her neck -- so on occasions when she would have been expected to wear it, like formal state openings of Parliament, it was born in front of her by a page or the Lord Chamberlain and then sat on a chair beside her.

Meanwhile, the DM reported Andrew is getting her dogs.

If she found the Crown too heavy to bear .....

Thanks, r63!

She will burn in hell,.half the world population knows it. The other half are stupid and apparently can't read.

R70, there is no hell, you doofus. So I guess you’re in the half that are too stupid.

R71 fuck off

If anyone is watching the packed streets of Ediburgh to watch the King and Queen head to St Giles Cathedral, packed five deep to the walls for miles, maybe Owen Jones and a few others would like to chime in about how the Queen isn't as "popular" as Diana.

60,000 in Edinburgh yesterday.

but where have all the flowers gone

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^Text for post: Thirty-hour queues forming. One million mourners expected. Met says coping with unprecedented situation. Rail service overwhelmed.

Anyone see Owen Jones about?

seems like it’s perfect time for country holiday

Or maybe check-in for fortnight in hospital

Nicola Sturgeon just arrived at St Giles. I wonder if the streets of Edinburgh crammed to the walls to watch King Charles III arrive with his mother's casket has given her food for thought about that next IndyRef.

Today's St Giles service begins the first of two vigils for the Queen, the Scottish one 24 hours.

Harry and Andrew have been banned from wearing uniform to the funeral, but Harry has additionally been banned from wearing uniform at the London Vigil.

Perhaps Charles isn't as soft a touch as people think, this is a real humiliation for Harry.

From The Guardian liveblog:

[quote] Jen Cresswell arrived around 9am with her three friends, camping chairs, a bag of sausage rolls and books to read to pass the time including, appropriately, Tolkien’s Return of the King. “I can’t think of anything more British than being well-organised in a queue.”

Too perfect.

I thought the Scottish had already made their boundaries quite clear.

Seeing them use an actual car hearse for the Scottish bit of this feels very odd. Watching the royal family breath in diesel fumes really does lack the gravitas of a carriage.

The deep silence as the procession goes by is somehow more profound than anything else.

I noticed people actually bowing their heads as the casket went by.

Really odd-looking that all the kids but Andrew are in military dress, even Anne. He sticks out like a sore thumb.

What a horrible thing to have to go through in public. The crowds are only a few feet away.

Somehow, Harry, your father is able to risk it . . .

I would love it if they had to take carriages down like it was 1820 and they had to make camp every night for a month

Calls actually rising now, "God bless the King" "God Save the King" "God bless the Queen".

I meant for the actual Edinburgh funeral. I wasn't expecting Anne to have to make camp and go hunting with her bare hands to survive to get her mothers Coffin from Balmoral.

SKY is having trouble with its live feed.

[quote]Perhaps Charles isn't as soft a touch as people think, this is a real humiliation for Harry.

Or at least something to think about as he builds his life overseas.

R90, but you know she could if she had to!

R77, The Grauniad has been remarkably restrained over the last few days. I'm kind of astonished. I expect them and all the lefty papers in particular to go nuts with thank God that's over this cannot continue type content the day after the funeral. And in fairness that is where they come from so go ahead, but the most you can ask is they behave with restraint and even respect right now, which they seem to be doing. So (grudging) respect.

At least it's not bloody raining in Edinburgh. Gorgeous sunny day.

[quote] Britain is steeped in 10 days of mourning. After a succession of crises – Brexit, Covid-19, partygate, four prime ministers in six years – now one of the last symbols of stability is gone with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The country is living through times of great change.

I think the Grauniad is pretty aware of how significant the event is. That quotes the lead in their "would you like to donate to us?" box. That said they did just put out an article asking why republicans are so oppressed so they may just be feeling hard done by.

What a monstrous thing to have to do whilst grieving for a loved mother. Those crowds are only a few feet away. Like being a zoo exhibit.

Well, they can't appear to be bending over entirely and I can imagine the Owen and Polly Toynbee losing their shit in the newsroom over the restraint thus far.

The Gaudrian, the Independent, etc. won't start haranguing about republicanism until AFTER the Queen's funeral.

R97, they are doing their duty, showing their respect and honour to the late Queen and, I would guess, finding great comfort in the respect of the crowds. As well, she was 96 and the youngest of them is 58. It's not like the Queen died hit by a truck on the school run.

On ya Anne! 72 and walked all that way behind the Queen's coffin!

Are Princess Anne’s hubby & Prince Edward close?

R101 Especially as she looks like she's barely holding it together.

I only see Anne. I think the rest of the mob are in the car directly behind.

Anne’s a one man band

God, the pressure on those guys not to drop that 500 pounds of coffin.

Camilla is wearing one of her broom hats! Probably to give her some relief from being stared at. Sophie looks elegant.

[quote] It's not like the Queen died hit by a truck on the school run.

R100 WW! Best laugh I've had in days!

would it be vulgar, at this stage, to don a fascinator?

So silent outside St. Giles you can hear the tread of their footsteps as they bear her in. Wow.

Lovely looking ginger lad front left of the coffin

God, how stirring.

No house music for this Queen, this is Real old school

Those young lads are all red in the face from the effort. Don't drop the Old Girl, lads!!

So there's a clue for the funeral day... the procession today is birth order... King, Anne, Andrew, Edward. I bet that's the front row at Westminster Abbey, probably with the Prince and Princess of Wales. That then solves another problem.

How beautiful. How moving.

Just the kids? No grandkids? I.e., the Prince of Wales?

R114 She casket probably weighs five times what she did at the end.

Bloody hell! The vicar's got a Scots accent you can't cut with an axe. And NO subtitles.

It's lined with led. They said Diana's coffin weighed 500 pounds.

What have they done with Miss Inconvenience?

Fed her to Nessie!

Am I hallucinating or is the choir singing whilst the minister is talking?!

SKY's feed is hopeless.

Father Hottie

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Fuck I forgot. R124 Go to DM home page. Excellent live feed.

The woman speak is First Minister Nicola whateverher name is???

Was she a Birds Fan?

Nicola Sturgeon, huh neer sew noffing that wearnt an insult to Scootlund.

What a beautiful service, the coffin travelling through the streets of Edinburgh was stunning.

How are they getting the Old Girl to London? Fly her? Or put her on the overnight Mail Train?

We're just getting started, R131... these people know how to do it!

r132 Plane. Which I think is a mistake since that Guardian London Bridge article said the original plan was to put it on a train so people could watch it go past.

After we had "The Lord's My Shepherd" at two recent funerals, it always makes me fill up.

R134 Train would be more dramatic. But it's England. Could be pouring down rain and everyone would stay home and watch it on telly anyway.

It's almost 400 miles from Edinburgh to London. I appreciate that's nothing in countries like the USA or Canada, but we see it as a massive distance in the UK!

I bet half the world 🌎 thinks this IS the funeral!

R127 Thanks.

The vicar speaking is giving an excellent speech. But he left out that part of the Queen's connection with Scotland was because the Queen Mum was Scots!

Camilla’s got an overnight bag on her head

Camilla has stated her boundaries. Which are apparently two feet in any direction.

Gaawwwwwwwd Saaave the Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

Camilla looks like she's wearing a black wash basin on her head.

Did they leave the Queen 👸 in the church???

And the crowd is actually clapping and cheering as the King and Queen leave St Giles, call of God Save the King rising again.

Best put that IndyRef 2 back in the drawer, Wee Nic.

They did r146! Does anyone know what’s up? She’s due to be flown to London, right?

She lies at St. Giles until tomorrow. The public can now walk past the coffin.

Thanks r149, I forgot that, though she was going to London today.

R146 Yes, there will be a 24-hour vigil kept as people in Scotland get the chance to file by the casket to pay their respects.

Tomorrow, it heads to London, where lines are already forming outside Westminster Abbey to do the same. They will also get to see William, Andrew, Harry, and Edward doing vigil duty at the corners. Has anyone seen info about whether tradition will be broken to let Anne take one of the shifts?

Only Harry will not be in uniform. Andrew is being allowed to wear uniform at the vigil, although not at the funeral; neither man is being permitted to wear uniform at the funeral.

Whatever happened to appointing a new Captain General of the Royal Marines? HM allowed that to pass into Charles' hands?

Camilla : “Straight Up, Neat, Not stirred!”

Camilla really does look knackered. I wonder if she’s realizing that it’s all work, work, work from now on.

R151: All four children will do that vigil. I am not sure if granchildren are doing it. There are eight, but James Severn is a bit young at age fourteen (and soon some will argue Austistic), although they could sub in Earl of Snowdon if need be. I think the no girls allowed rule is out the window and that's great.

Anne looked like she had been squeezed. All over. Hard.

R155 do you mean she look sad or she looked unattractive? She is 72.

So in the Guardian was a reference to talk of an additional title for Anne. Anybody heard anything?

I wouldn't be surprised to see an announcement the day after the funeral to move the thing forward, clarifying what (if anything) the Wessexes will be called going forward, perhaps something new for Anne - I could see him calling her Princess Royal and Duchess of Edinburgh, given her closeness to her father but that would really fuck over Prince Edward and it was both parents' wish he get that title... and I can see him making her a Counsellor of State and clarifying that mess.

The Times writes in favour of her as Counsellor of State... maybe that's the new thing.

Given that the act requires only two counsellors to be available to act in the Queen’s stead and the team includes two responsible British residents, alongside a disgraced playboy and a flaky émigré, the current set-up seems unlikely to present any practical problems. But there is a clear objection in principle to Anne’s absence. The Princess Royal held the role before William reached adulthood, and was then ousted. She counts for less than her siblings because when the government belatedly ended male primogeniture in 2013, the line of succession was not backdated. So she is 17th in line to the throne while Princess Charlotte, William’s daughter, is 4th.

Anne’s record makes the discrimination particularly galling. She is the family’s hardest worker. Last year, as in most years, she claimed the title of busiest royal, with 387 engagements. She shows no interest in self-promotion and follows her mother’s sage example of keeping her mouth shut on matters of political or cultural controversy. Excluding Anne is not just a personal injustice, but also does a disservice to this country. Britain is, in most ways, a progressive place. But lingering remnants of sexism give the impression that the country is more ossified than it is. The princess should be appointed to a role she deserves.

----

Personally, I think it would be an unnecessary own goal to defy his parents' wishes and deny Edward the Edinburgh title.

Anne is the Princess Royal. She should be a Counsellor of State. She's certainly earned it with her hard work.

I don't think she'll be getting any other title.

[quote]Which I think is a mistake since that Guardian London Bridge article said the original plan was to put it on a train so people could watch it go past.

I agree; yes, it would be a long day on the day, but it's through beautiful countryside. Some of the most moving images from RFK's funeral were people standing along side the tracks with signs, saying goodbye. Well, more time in London for everyone to pay their respects & reduced security/logistics, I guess

R160 - I think England got ripped off. Since she died in Scotland, they don't get the train.

If she had died at Sandringham or Windsor, the train would have been used.

Charles got a little teary this morning when he heard "God Save The King" sung in his presence for the first time.

It would be hilarious if Charles gives Anne the Edinburgh title over Edward

The Queen's coffin at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

^ That's the Crown Of Scotland on her coffin.

Sophie is exhausted.

It’s a mistake to allow Andrew anywhere near a uniform. But if they’re going to allow him to wear military clothing then both he and Harry should be allowed to wear their service uniforms instead of the fancy royal duds.

[quote]Only Harry will not be in uniform. Andrew is being allowed to wear uniform at the vigil, although not at the funeral; neither man is being permitted to wear uniform at the funeral.

I think the point of keeping Harry in a suit is to keep him in visual line with his other male cousins, Peter Philips and James Severn, who will also be present at the same vigil and in dress suits (not uniforms). Perhaps William will also be in dress suit for this occasion, to keep it all visually even.

In Andrew's cases, his three other siblings will be in formal uniform, so I guess they granted him the one concession for that moment. Perhaps QEII pre-negotiated this before her death (she was involved in every aspect of planning her funeral and would have thought of this).

Re the grand-daughters: All four will be doing their own vigil at Westminster this week, for the first time. Zara, Louise, Beatrice and Eugenie.

It may be a mistake but he still holds one honourary rank so that's the reason.

The Telegraph: "Prince Andrew will be permitted to wear uniform on one occasion - the final vigil in Westminster Hall - as a “final mark of respect” for his late mother.

It is thought likely to be the full military dress uniform of a Vice Admiral of the Navy, the only military rank which he still holds."

I bet the Navy isn’t going to be happy. Let him wear his commander’s uniform that was his last official rank.

King Charles will wear King Edward's Crown at his coronation. It's the same one his mother wore at hers.

^ St.

Poor Camilla looks like she's in desperate need of a g&t and a fag.

[quote]Vice Admiral

Aptness which won't go unremarked.

A bit of a tear-y week coming up, I think.

R174, well caught.

If Charles is forced to let Andrew wear his costume due to some deathbed promise to the Queen, it should be used as an opportunity to finally, publicly strip the full rank from Andrew after the ceremonies end.

It'll be like Michael Corleone not dealing with Fredo till their mother passed.

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R180 - where the hell was his bodyguard at the time?

Charles was treated like shit at school, which is what Phil intended to toughen Charles up.

R181, there would have been no special treatment.

R163 - He can't. It goes only to a male heir.

[quote]Charles was treated like shit at school, which is what Phil intended to toughen Charles up.

Which is precisely why Diana insisted William and Harry went to Eton not Gordonstoun. She could see the damage Philip's love of bullying brutalism had caused.

Of all of the royals, I believe that Andrew and Harry ought to have the right to wear uniforms at the funeral. They were the only ones to actually serve in battle, Harry especially.

Anne? Charles? William? Edward?! None have really served. Andrew and Harry actually went to war.

Andrew and Harry actually went to war, and then they actually royally (no pun intended) screwed up completely, insuring they'd have to give up their honorary military titles. And it's the honorary dress uniform that's worn at the State Funerals, not actual uniforms (which can't be worn anyway after one leaves the military, at least in the US that's true).

After six months of aviation training with the Royal Air Force, Charles joined the Royal Navy in 1971, serving until 1976.

William was in the armed forces - army and air force - from 2006 - 2013.

As I recall, Prince Andrew served as a pilot during the Falklands War and was actually in active service and in danger.

I never believe that the RAF would let Harry fly off in a multi million pound aircraft. Particularly with other service people aboard.

R159 would it really make much of a fucking difference? She should just be glad she doesn’t have to ho the steets as a consort.

In the United States, members of the military who haven’t served twenty years are able to wear their uniforms for special occasions like weddings and funerals.

Regardless, Harry and Andrew are the only members of the family to serve in actual battle. William served during a war, but was never exposed to danger from battle.

Harry and Andrew deserve to wear their uniforms.

No one is going to convince me otherwise. Those two actually served and actually saw battle.

The rest of those children, including the untouchable Anne, never saw battle.

This is a bad look for the monarchy with those who actually served.

Dear R191 - the USA and the UK are separate entities.

Amazingly, USA military protocol only applies in the USA. I imagine that that’s a difficult concept to process.

There are actually military rules about the wearing of uniform. Harry resigned from the military and is "ex-royal"; Andrew retired from military and still holds his military titles. Harry does not.

And the fact is, Harry was never at any moment in any danger; his skills were gussied up by PR; and he couldn't pass the exams for higher office.

Andrew actually did go into real danger, and was a serving officer in the Royal Navy from 1979-2001 - that's more than twenty years.

Harry also disrespected the Royal Marines when, before he flounced out the door, his wife wore a completely inappropriate, in fact, against the rules gown to the last reception for the Royal Marines that Harry, as Captain General attended. Harry knew perfectly well what the rules were, but let his wife do as she liked. There were some very angry men there that night. The Harkles also behaved flagrantly against Marine code of excessive displays of PDA at the reception, allowing his bitch of a wife to hang all over him. Harry's head was down most of the evening as Meghan made a spectacle of her domination of him and her disregard for any code but her own in her fire engine red gown.

And, lastly, Harry blew off the annual Deal Memorial concert for the soldier killed in an IRA bombing to pimp his wife out to Disney for voiceover work to Bob Iger at the London premiere of "The Lion King".

Harry as barely any right to wear that uniform. Andrew has far more right.

I've been watching David Muir reporting from London and he is SO into all of the Royal pageantry. He was practically giddy with excitement when it was announced that Kate is now Princess of Wales. He went on a little tribute to Diana. SUCH a queen!

R192 Think whatever you like. Harry may have seen some action from far away, but he was stringently protected on the ground, and moved when danger approached; he was, as a target, also a danger to his comrades, many of whom disliked him profoundly for his arrogance, pettiness, and rudeness.

In the Falklands wore, Andrew was shot at as he flew a Sea King helicopter. He saw REAL action.

Harry is a fraud - and a disgrace to Prince Philip, who also saw real action in WWII and sat the officer's exam twice when he failed it the first time. In fact, Philip said, "If they pass it anyway, I will quite the Navy" and he studies, sat the exam again, and passed.

As for Anne, please, did you look up what her uniforms are FOR?

1970–2007 : Colonel-in-Chief of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29/45 Foot) 1977– : Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Signals. 1981– : Commandant-in-Chief of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteer Corps) 1983–2006 : Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

I mean, really? You're going to spit about the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry?

The royal family are supposed to represent the military, all arms of it, as a crucial part of their job.

The only person who's really spit on that is Harry.

^*Falklanss War (not wore)

fucking autocorrect

^Falklands War

Jesus.

Well, you're old, Tony, if you can't control your crotchety, irrational stubbornness, just try to control your farts.

Think of the monarch as civil servant in chief

The values of an impartial head of state are meant to filter through the system but seem lost on populist politicians

Hugo Rifkind Monday September 12 2022, 9.00pm BST, The Times Share

erhaps you’ve missed this — lucky you — but in American liberal circles this past week there has been a strong arc of commentary keen to paint our late Queen as a villain. Particularly, she is deemed culpable for the crimes of Empire.

Sometimes, this takes the form only of dim, viral tweets from people with a vague notion of Irish great-grandparents, but there was also an essay in this vein in The New York Times from the Harvard academic Maya Jasanoff. On MSNBC the anchor Ali Velshi, born in pre-independence Nairobi, had a vicious spat with the historian Andrew Roberts.

To mainstream British sentiments, this lies somewhere between upsetting and simply befuddling. When we think in these terms at all, which we tend not to, we see Elizabeth’s reign as having been firmly on the right side of history. As in, forget just decolonising the discourse; the woman decolonised the actual colonies. More than that, though, these American visions jar because they seem to attribute to the British monarch something that we all know, in our bones, no monarch has. Which is autonomy.

You can see why Americans struggle with this, and it’s not just because their conception of the British monarchy ossified with George III. It’s also because they have a president, and he — or she, not that they ever seem wild about that idea — actually does get to be in charge. They also appoint their own administrations, and not in name, but literally. This is why, years into his reign, hundreds of jobs in the Trump administration remained unfilled. It is also why Americans really do mean something, even if it is a mad something, when they complain about the “deep state”. Because permanence, for them, is suspect.

It is impossible to overstate how thoroughly unlike this the United Kingdom is. Here, having a deep state is the whole idea. Our politicians come and go, but everything else is supposed to function as a lasting, apolitical machine, equally capable of working under not only Liz Truss or Sir Keir Starmer but also, at least theoretically, Jeremy Corbyn or Nigel Farage.

This is most obvious with the civil service — permanent secretaries; the clue is in the name — but the same expectations extend to judges, the armed forces, the police and basically any agent of the British state. And, while other nations conceive of similar things in different ways, for us this all stems from the Crown. Hence there being one, for example, on your local postbox.

This is why, when monarchs express actual politics, it’s a scandal. You’ll have read about Margaret Thatcher calling Elizabeth “the kind of woman who could vote Social Democratic” or David Cameron saying she “purred” when Scotland rejected independence; tiny crumbs that tell us almost nothing. On the latter, remember, the Queen actually just said that people should “think very carefully”. Which is only political if you think they should not.

In his first speech as King, Charles put his own future neutrality front and centre, adding that it would fall to William, from now on, to “continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground”. This, it seemed to me, was a deliberate attempt to recast his own past political interventions as part of the established job description for an heir to the throne, to which my response would be: “hmmm”. More importantly, though, he was saying that his own politics are parked. He’s a postbox now, or a flag. He’s a role. If the neutral administrators of the British state form a pyramid, he sits on the pointy bit at the top, hopefully with a cushion.

Prince Harry: went once to Afghanistan and then sought to go back.

Say what you want but he has seen the most amount of battle if any of the Windsors. As proof I link and video from the British Forces Youtube account, thought they will probably be accused by many here as being dishonorable as well.

Tony, you’re right - ignore the trolls.

Don Lemon and Laura Coates aren't exactly distinguishing themselves.

Sure, Harry and Andy have been to battle or have been near battlefields... but Anne is a Battle-Axe!

Which is close enough to earn her a uniform.

So Field Marshall Anne 👧🏼 wears the pants and Charlie Girl rocks the skirt

The Monarchy is in transition alright

[quote] Say what you want but he has seen the most amount of battle if any of the Windsors.

Harry's "service" was completely contrived media rubbish. Same with his helicopter pilot's license. Yes, he was in Afghanistan. But he had his own protection soldier and was kept as far away from the action as possible. The General Staff hated having to babysit him. There's an interview in one of the Brit papers with one of the soldiers who protected him in Afghanistan.

I wonder how Harry feels about that war now.

Harry's too busy prosecuting another "war", one that is far more important to him. And like the US/Brits in Afghanistan, a war that he has no hope of ever winning.

^ Yeah, it really doesn't square with his new-found lefty views.

R211 was for R209.

Sophie needs to bring it down a notch or 2 and save a little for her own mother’s funeral.

Anne has been awarded the Gold Medal 🥇 in the Stiff Upper Lipathalon

R213 Sophie's mum died in 2005.

And it’s finally pouring out??

^ LOL. I love when people make a decision to kick the tires on their blanket assertions. R213, there's this thing called Google.

THE MONARCHY WILL COLLAPSE UNDER CHARLES! PEOPLE HATE HIM!

Anne has to smack blubbering Sophie and yell for all to hear, SNAP OUT OF IT !!!

R218, that reminds me of all the polls of Dubaya after 9/11. Those numbers will not last, give Charles a year or so to end up back at 35 percent.

R211 I dunno, the left (whatever that means these days) seems to be more into war lately. Instead of peace talks, it's endless billions to Ukraine. But -I digress, sorry.

Boy, some week, huh?

Well, he's starting strong and that's not nothing. I agree there's a post-convention bounce at play, certainly, but it probably does reveal a national attachment and support of constitutional monarchy. But, like Bush, it is a question of what the monarchy does with the feeling at this moment. I'm more optimistic. 63% good king is consistent with the overall support in polling for a continued monarchy.

Harry's Afghanistan service whilst not non-existent was hugely glossed up by the Palace and the military.

The fact remains he was kept out of danger; Prince Andrew was not. Harry left because he couldn't pass the officer's exam; Andrew was a serving officer for more than twenty years when he retired.

Harry is ex-military; Andrew is retired military. There is a difference TO the military itself.

And no one, including Harry or Andrew, saw more action than Prince Philip did long before he married Princess Elizabeth.

Believe what you will, but Harry went on to disgrace his uniform and service by betraying his Commander-in-Chief by spreading lies about her and her family to make bank on her very name.

If you think that the military doesn't know that, think again. There is a very good reason that the Royal Marines don't want him back and haven't remotely protested the Queen's edict at Prince Philip's funeral, or the King's now, keeping from wearing his uniform.

And, as you may also know or not know, Harry IS allowed to wear his medals.

Ex-military ARE NOT supposed to wear uniform. Retired, yes; exes, no.

Get the fuck over it. Both men, in different ways, disgraced their service by letting down the Commander-in-Chief. That MEANS something.

Now, R223, Tony feels something and has made up his mind. Nothing will convince him otherwise. Which is a level of reasonable that speaks for itself.

[quote] Harry left because he couldn't pass the officer's exam;

R223 Harry was quietly asked to leave because the MOD got tired of shoveling horseshit and the General Staff were sick of babysitting him.

As an Englishman whose uncle saw quite a bit of action in the European theatre in WWII, and whose family experienced the privations of said war, I resent my anger at a spoilt, posturing braggart who was went about in Afghanistan with a protection officer being called a troll.

Stop slavering over a man who has, with his wife, told more lies about his Commander in Chief than Joseph Goebbels did about George VI.

That appearance at the last Royal Marines reception was so disgraceful that it beggared description.

Harry has forfeited his right to the respect other men in Afghanistan without protection officers deserve.

R217 My life hasn’t fallen apart to the degree that I’m googling The P.R. Beard of Wessex

And I admire that in the shambles of it such as they are, you don't mind looking so stupid, R227. Well done you! Every child does get a prize!

They seemed very well received in Northern Ireland.

[quote]They seemed very well received in Northern Ireland.

In the book "Say Nothing", Northern Ireland (a certain segment of the population, that is) is described as the most pro-UK, while the rest of the UK couldn't care less about them. That was part of the reason the sending troops to NI during the Troubles was so unpopular: Brits didn't want to send their sons for a cause they didn't care about.

Not sure if all of that is still true, but might explain their love for the BRF

She's leaving St. Giles' Cathedral. Again, so silent you can hear the tread of the soldiers' boots.

White House confirms Trump is NOT invited to the Mother of All Funerals.

Queen has now left Scotland for the last time. The ceremonies in Scotland were very moving.

There were over 500k people following the flight on FlightRadar 24…it crashed their server!

The airport thing felt a bit graceless. They could have done with the band playing a few Scottish laments while take-off preparations happened to spare us having to listen to BBC commentary. And I'm still a train would have been better but I guess getting her from Edinburgh to Buckingham Palace in about 3 hours I can see why they went this rout.

[quote]but I guess getting her from Edinburgh to Buckingham Palace in about 3 hours I can see why they went this rout.

Well, she has the time.

r236 I mean she actually doesn't. The funeral procession to Westminster is tomorrow afternoon. The only time her family will have with her is tonight and tomorrow morning.

[quote]The only time her family will have with her is tonight and tomorrow morning.

Plenty of time to do the casket dance.

These things take time, R238. And then more time. And then a couple of time zones.

The poet laureate, Simon Armitage, has published a poem for the Queen:

And here's one from Scotland's national poet:

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

^ Another pen disaster for Charles (and Camilla).

He's so exhausted he doesn't know what day it is. He wrote the wrong date on the document he was signing.

300,000 people are tracking the Queen's coffin flight live on the FlightRadar mobile telephone app.

The King is a kunt

^ If Charles had retained the staff, the Guardian would be doing a piece about how much these unnecessary servants were costing the exchequer during a COST OF LIVING CRISIS.

"Staff who are made redundant are expected to be offered searches for alternative employment across all royal households, assistance in finding new jobs externally and an “enhanced” redundancy payment beyond the statutory minimum."

If he'd kept all of them on, he'd have been called extravagant. This happens in any transition of this kind, including corporate.

Keeping on employees whose positions are now unneeded is absurd. If the King is now based at BP, running Clarence House is a nonstarter.

This is SOP by any large-scale employer. The King's staff budget is paid by the taxpayers. Saddling UK taxpayers with bills for staff he no longer needs is quite a bit worse.

But don't let reality intervene here.

It is curiously dissonant that on the one hand, people expect the monarchy to function as a modernised institution, and on the other like the Plantagenets.

I'm assuming William will take most of them since his household is going to massively enlarge over the next few years.

I don’t think anyone would argue that redundant staff needs to be addressed but why not wait until after the funeral?

And, an ENHANCED redundancy payment beyond the required amount.

Typical Guardian - just leaves out the contrary to the narrative smear.

Princess Anne issues a statement:

I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother’s life. It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting. We will all share unique memories. I offer my thanks to each and every one who share our sense of loss. We may have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted. I am also so grateful for the support and understanding offered to my dear brother Charles as he accepts the added responsibilities of The Monarch. To my mother, The Queen, thank you.

The timing of the Clarence House announcement was unfortunate (and when I say unfortunate I mean completly fucking stupid), if for no other reason than it generated an unhelpful headline. Did Charles' know? It is the kind of SOP mentioned above that would have been decided without him, possibly. But now he's dragged into it, which was stupid.

Watch for a clarification in the next day or two, particularly after Off with the Pen 2.0

Probably staff wanted to be kept in the loop as to what may happen. The letter in full might have been clearer than selected edits.

Watching the lone plane in the sky leaving Scotland and arriving in London is sad. She's back home. Final stop...the funeral, then the burial.

I can't figure if this is a Palace generated story or the Torygraph (and another paper, maybe The Times) are trying to secure the Wessexes the Edinburgh title.

It may be considered a final, poignant nod to the daughter-in-law who called her “Mama”.

Queen Elizabeth II’s title of the Duchess of Edinburgh will pass to the Countess of Wessex if, as expected, Prince Edward succeeds his father as the Duke of Edinburgh.

Such a move would elevate the status of the Countess at a time when her role becomes notably more significant - one of just a handful of working royals in the new, slimmed-down monarchy.

The decision rests in the hands of the King, who has held the title since his father’s death.

However, the late Prince Philip had made his wishes clear: when the time comes, his youngest son should be given the title. Prince Charles was said to agree and the deal was all but rubber-stamped.

Last year, following the Duke’s death, speculation swirled that Charles had had a change of heart. One source told the Sunday Times: “The Prince is the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and it is up to him what happens to the title. It will not go to Edward.”

Even the Earl of Wessex, the only one of the late Queen’s three sons who does not have a Dukedom, appeared to be having doubts, telling the BBC in an interview: “It was fine in theory, ages ago when it was sort of a pipe dream of my father’s... and of course it will depend on whether or not the Prince of Wales, when he becomes king, whether he’ll do that, so we’ll wait and see. So yes, it will be quite a challenge taking that on.”

But experts believe it likely that the title will eventually be passed to the Earl, who has already taken on the responsibilities associated with his father’s hugely successful Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

If Charles is in good health, his reign could be 20 years or so. William, next in line, will be around Charles' age becoming king.

They'd be better giving Edward the Edinburgh title sooner rather than later. In about a month or two the nationalists will be back to their usual complaint volumes and "English king appoints brother duke of Scottish city" will be all over twatter.

Oops...William would be 60 or more...not Charles' age. ^^

Maths is not your strong point is it…

My fingers failed me R260..

I googled Will's age...40...wasn't sure.

Is this the sme courtyard (BP) where Trump kept TQ waiting that time? When the Dumps went to London?

It’s grim to think of the daily work Sophie had to do to weasel her way next to the Queen’s side. The DM says she claims to have a strong passion for military history which she shares with the Queen, and took up carriage riding. And now all for naught, especially with the display she’s putting on trying to upstage the other mourners. Grim.

Such a shame that the whore happened to be in Britain when the Queen died and that the Queen's family all have to put up with her this evening at Buckingham Palace.

The Times boosting Sophie tonight as well:

DM has photos of the cars carrying the royals to BP to meet the coffin. Kate looks sad and beautiful, wearing a long strand of pearls (go, Kate! The pearls! The pearls!) with her hair left long and very glossy.

The car carrying the Harkles has the windows blacked out.

I wonder why?

Sophie better be careful, or Charles and Will are going to start counter-briefing against her. No wonder Charles is withholding the title.

R264 I thought it was her daughter, Lady Louise, who took up carriage driving (not riding).

Belay that, we have now got a clear shot of the Sussexes being driven in.

Meghan has ten times the makeup on that Kate does, enough eye makeup to sink the Queen Mary, full-on lip liner and gloss. Her hair is also loose but the strands are separated into very big tendrils. She's also wearing a black jacket with a very low-cut top button. She doesn't look remotely sad or even sombre: just dressed to the nines in case someone snaps a photo.

Kate, in contrast, has a bit of cheek colour, almost no lip colour, and some minimal eye makeup. She looks quietly sombre - and actually sad.

Meghan looks like a whore going to a party where she hopes to meet some third-tier producers. Jesus, the woman dressed for one photo in a car as if she were going to a major appearance.

Think Scarlett O'Hara going to Melanie's birthday party in that red dress.

Christ, contrast the photos of each of the women in those cars and tell me it doesn't tell the whole story right there.

The Wales and Sussex arrival.

The Queen first and last times.

R84, it is better than stepping in horse shit.

[quote] And now all for naught, especially with the display she’s putting on trying to upstage the other mourners. Grim.

I haven't heard anything about Sophie putting on any displays. Can you post a link?

Updated last verse: Then after that came Charles the Third, which brings us up to now, ohhhh

Only the British have a "queuing system". Love it!

Yes, its always strange to the ill-mannered how well mannered some people can be.

Have we seen Cam’s children at all? Must be an odd situation for them, your mother as the Queen consort but not really connected to you.

They are saying on the DM that the double-strand of pearls Kate is wearing was a gift from the Queen. I have been saying for years that Kate should add pearls to her image. If they are a gift from the Queen, then they were likely a gift from her father, King George VI either to his wife or his daughter.

A mark of tremendous esteem.

[quote] Only the British have a "queuing system". Love it!

We queued all the time for Springsteen tickets back in the day. We had our own rules and procedures. What are you talking about?

R272, wow Meghan really got dolled up for her funereal appearances. That's a lot of make-up. Did she think she was going to the Emmys?

This is what she is all about. Superficial appearances. I'm not sure I could dislike her more.

We never tire of hearing everyone express their feelings about Meghan here, over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over over and over and over and over AND OVER

Don’t fucking touch 💐

I wonder if they will have an open casket viewing for the close family at BP. I’m assuming she was beautifully embalmed in Scotland.

[quote]Meghan Sure Lays On The Bronzer

It's getting silly. Two days ago she was practically lily-white.

We do have eyes, Meghan!

Meghan is fine when she steps into the background. She almost shines . But when she elbows her way to the front as a newbie it just doesn’t work on any level. Especially public reaction.

r279 both of Cam's children are private citizens who likely don't want to notoriety associated with the Royal Family. Her daughter, Laura, in particular, eschews the spotlight.

Right now the focus is on the Queen's family. After her funeral, it will shift to Charles's, which does include his stepkids. This doesn't mean we'll see them at state events or on the balcony at BP. But they will be present at the Coronation next year, to see Charles and their mother crowned.

Sophie drew the short straw and will ride with the Cuntess of Montecito to the funeral. Makes me giggle a little.

And we thought she was bawling yesterday??

She might contract hysterical blindness.

God Save The Sophie

God Save The Beard 🧔🏻

[quote]They are saying on the DM that the double-strand of pearls Kate is wearing was a gift from the Queen. I have been saying for years that Kate should add pearls to her image.

That Kate - she (and the people who surround her) is brilliant. She always strikes the right note - elegant, but not too showy, looks sad but not puffy & red faced. She'd be tough act for any spare's spouse to follow

Kate is a Superstar

Princess Catherine is a steady hand, and always looks good, unlike Harry's hobo wife. To be fair, they do not provide etiquette training in the carnival.

Anne needs to slap Sophie hard across the face (possibly in public) and say “that’s enough of this!”

I wonder how much of a hand Carole Middleton still has in her daughter's flawless public performance. I suspect old Carole knows exactly how to handle troublesome in-laws, among other things.

Kate didn't grow up royal....a commoner. She took to her role very easily. It's like she's a natural for that position.

After more than ten years in the role, having borne three children under total public gaze, I really doubt that Kate needs advice from her Mum any longer.

The cortege to the Palace of Westminster will follow the tradition: the King, children and grandchildren will follow the coffin, the women will arrive in cars. It isn't known if the entire rest of the royal family (Kents, Gloucesters, etc.) are part of this tomorrow, although they'll undoubtedly be at the funeral.

So Charles, Andrew, Anne, Edward, William, Harry, Peter Phillips, the Earl of Snowdon, the Dukes of Gloucester and Kent, and Anne's husband, Major Timothy Laurence, will walk behind the gun carriage. Camilla, Kate, Meghan, Sophie, the York girls, Zara Tindall, and Lady Sarah Chatto will follow in cars.

^Actually, I'm not sure about Gloucester - he's not a grandson but a cousin, but the Queen was very close to the Duke of Kent, so he's likely, although he's so frail at 85 that one hopes he makes it on his own steam.

Earlier when Charles met the President of Ireland at the end of the mass in Northern Ireland, the President's wife was positively gushing over Charles and Camilla ... I'd love to know what she was saying ... she really held on to their hands as she was talking, and afterward the camera caught the President looking as if he was giving out to her for holding their hands like that. Maybe not, though he had grabbed her outside the church when she was taking too long greeting someone else aswell. Made for a funny, and heartwarming, image of the pair of them anyway!

This is quite interesting. If you've ever watched home families en famille, you can relate.

Anne is funny @ 37:00

Poignant from 48:16 - 50:20.

Thanks for posting that, r303.

Does anyone know which car Arthur Chatto will be in? Is this still a gay site?

[quote] I’m assuming she was beautifully embalmed in Scotland.

Mary! I've been to wakes before and nobody looks good embalmed. A dead body looks lifeless.

Damn you can see Charles’ sausage fingers at the beginning of the video at r303.

R306 Oh, even with a touch of lipstick?

The Mail has now weighed in on Sophie for Duchess.

The king is cornered. Denying them the title would be another pen moment. unnecessary.

"Have we seen Cam’s children at all? Must be an odd situation for them,"

I hope they and her personal friends are around, getting together for those drinks she obviously needs! It really must be strange for her, one day she's really just Charles's chief minder, and on extremely short notice she's officially Queen of Half the World, and her workload as Chief Minder has grown a hundredfold!

But of course Camilla's children and personal friends don't have a public role in the solemnities, if they're around we won't be seeing them.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Is Crazy Daisy, Queen of Denmark coming over? I read about the Spaniards and the Belgians and the Emperor of Japan. Nothing about the Danish or the Swedes or Norwegians.

The Google gave an answer: Members of royal families from across Europe, many of whom were blood relatives of the Queen, are expected.

Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have confirmed they will be there, as have King Willem-Alexander and his wife, Queen Maxima, along with his mother, former Dutch queen Princess Beatrix.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain have also accepted an invitation, as have the royal families of Norway, Sweden, and Demark.

R310 I expect they will be at the funeral but they probably won’t be very visible. Her grandchildren must be getting quite big by now. They will have a slightly higher profile at the eventual coronation.

Is Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden going to be there? She's such a big strapping Viking gal, I want to see her dwarfing Charles!

r311 What do they want them to do go to Windsor via Birmingham?

R303 That is a really nice programme, Sarah Chatto came across really well. I think it’s the only time I’ve ever seen her speaking on TV.

Have we heard anything from Dame Judi Dench? She was good friends with Lilibet and visited her at Balmoral every year.

Did QMilla’s 1st husband have a big dick?

R305 Face it: squabbling over the royals has become the ne plus ultra of gayness.

The petty insults, the tabloid headlines, who's in and who's out, the clothes, the Rolls' and Bentleys, the grand homes, the stalwart guardsmen in uniform, the horses, the sex scandals, the closet cases, the Prodigal Son and his Messalina . . .

And hats and tiaras as a bonus.

Come on.

R319 it was never reported to be short & sausagey

It’s carriage racing, not carriage riding!

I hope Meghan didn’t pull rank on Anne last night at the palace

Tyler & Oprah were in the trees outside Buckingham with a telephoto lens when Meghan caught their eye and hit her mark perfectly.

R319 Unlnown, but what isn't is that he knew how to use it. He was considered the hottest fuck around in his day, "a real stick man".l as the euphemism goes. He and Anne had a brief but torrid affair.

And yours, dear?

Anne has been pushed to her last nerve, she’ll resort to nunchucks

The Maul says this morning Fergie is invited to the funeral.

I am sure she will conduct herself with the dignity for which she is justly famous.

Hullo, girls.....

Awww, I'm pleased (and the BRF will be relieved to know about my pleasure) that Fergie is invited to the funeral.

I know she's embarrassed herself, and the BRF, too, but Q E II seemed to forgive her.

Her feelings had to be hurt when she was excluded from Royal weddings.

I've never quite got that argument. Sure, she's entertaining in a shambolic, no self-respect and less brains sort of a way, but it's a rare family invites the ex-spouses to family events once they're ex. It's kind of the point of divorce as I understand it.

🤔 Fergie is much older, and much wiser than she was when she was younger, and married to Andrew. And her so called "betrayal" pales in comparison to what Andrew did to embarrass his own Mother.

With her eye popping and drunken sailor stride, Fergie will provide a few moments of levity, a bit of a giggle between the tears.

Maybe Q E II directed her to be invited and KC is honoring her wish.

In my eyes Q E II, could almost do no wrong. But, her heart favored PA, and she tolerated, indulged, his bad behavior too much and too long.

"Fools give you reasons. Wise men never try".

She stripped PA of his ranks, but I think, as a mother she suffered doing that. I think it's possible that she knew he would need the support and companionship of Fergie during her funeral and that contributed to her wanting her to be invited.

If Q E II didn't want Fergie invited, she wouldn't be.

Does the Queen Mum have a 2022 LG Deluxe Refrigerated Casket with it's own high tech generator back up?

Admirable, R315. Subtle AND highly sadistic.

[quote]Face it: squabbling over the royals has become the ne plus ultra of gayness.

It's possible Muriel might need to install a special generator here in order to cope with real-time commentary during the funeral. Let's see if QEII can achieve threads running into double figures...

R315 is confusing Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden with Crown Princess Amalia of The Netherlands. It is the latter who is the strapping blonde Viking figure. Victoria of Sweden is a normal sized woman in height and girth. Only her jawline is outsize.

I am laying odds that Kate will for the first time be wearing the Prince of Wales feathers brooch in diamonds, which Diana wore, as well as the pearl and diamond earrings that Diana and now Kate wear, as well as the pearls that the Queen clearly gave Kate as a gift.

Do we think Meghan and Harry will continue their hilarious Hand PDA into the Abbey?

If you want a big strapping girl, you want the Princess of Orange.

This is the big show. Wow. What a spectacle.

Major Johnny sighting! Row behind William.

Beat me to it, R339!

It is heartwarming to see the mix of faces, young and old, various ethnicities, the faces of the UK in 2022.

R340, Major Johnny eases my grief.

Phenomenal grandeur.

William, Prince of Wales

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Fergie, BTW, has either is being well fed at Royal Lodge or she's found a really good food bank.

Is Prince Harry making sure to walk just a half step behind W, PoW?

D, I think they're just a bit out of step, so to speak.

grinning at r347

There's a really really really tall guy, gray haired, beard, who is always near the king... Edinburgh, again today... assuming a policeman?

Eddie Wessex is in a military uniform???? You've got to be joking!!!!!

Yes!!! there's our Johnno!!!! Behind Wills!

Ohhh Major…..

r349 The one in a morning suit? Doubt he's police an aid or something maybe.

Yes, Wessex is entitled as holder of ten honourary military appointments. Other than Charles, who is head of the armed forces, that's why any of them are in uniform today.

He's everywhere and always close. I think he's security.

Harry actually sticks out more because they didn’t let him wear his uniform. I couldn’t spot William at first because of his hat.

Who's got the spare, working pen, just in case?!?

Could one of the Brits tell us which crown is on the late Queen's coffin? It sure ain't the Imperial Crown, that big sucker.

Thanx!

That closeup in Admiralty Arch was not kind to Harrys bald spot.

It is the Imperial State Crown.

The Orb and the Sceptre will be laid atop the coffin when it is on the catafalque at Westminster Hall.

r358 No it is the Imperial state crown you can see the Black Princes Ruby at the front.

They have Major Johnny right behind Harry, just as with the Thanksgiving Service. Is he the assigned minder?

The Telegraph: Queen Elizabeth's coffin is draped with the Royal Standard on which the Imperial State Crown sits on a velvet cushion and a wreath of flowers.

Foliage from Balmoral and Windsor placed on coffin Queen Elizabeth's coffin is draped with the Royal Standard on which the Imperial State Crown sits on a velvet cushion and a wreath of flowers.

The wreath of flowers will include:

White roses Spray white roses White dahlias A selection of foliage - including pine from the gardens at Balmoral and pittosporum, lavender and rosemary from the gardens at Windsor

The Imperial State Crown was the crown the Queen wore when she left Westminster Abbey after her coronation.

It was also used on other State occasions, including the State Opening of Parliament.

Made of gold, it is set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and four rubies.

It contains some of the Crown Jewels' most famous pieces including the Black Prince's Ruby, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Cullinan II diamond.

In a BBC documentary in 2018 about her coronation, the Queen amused viewers by manhandling the heavy crown, pulling it towards her, turning it round and declaring: "This is what I do when I wear it."

"I like the Black Prince's Ruby," she added.

2:37pm The Gun Carriage The coffin was borne on a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery - poignantly used for the coffins of the late Queen's mother and father.

Known as the George Gun Carriage, it carried King George VI from Sandringham Church to Wolferton Station after his death in 1952 and was used in the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.

The Gun Carriage has six 13-pounder quickfire guns, built between 1913 and 1918, all of which have seen active service in the First and Second World Wars.

They are used regularly for royal salutes in Hyde Park, Green Park or Windsor Great Park for State Occasions and to mark royal anniversaries and royal birthdays.

Each gun and limber weighs 1.5 tons and, with the team, is approximately 54 feet long.

Thanx R364!

This music is quite unfortunate.

The weather is holding up. No rain. Hope it holds for the funeral on Monday.

Not that facts matter much anymore, but Andrew is allowed to wear uniform and Harry is not because of RULES LAID DOWN BY THE MILITARY AMD THE LAW NOT THE ROYAL FAMILY.

In fact, Harry is not LEGALLY allowed to wear his. He was a serving solider and left before retirement which means he has no legal right to ever wear his uniform again. Andrew js a retired soldier, which means that he can under certain circumstances, such as this one.

The other royals, such as William, are wearing the uniforms of the ranks they currently hold due to their royal status. Harry gave up those ranks knowingly when he left the BRF.

But, of course, the current popular narrative js “Poor Harry, victim of the rayyyyyciiiiist royals who much prefer Prince Nonce”. Of course 🙄

It was said by a CNN commentator, "Queen Elizabeth is the last of the truly well mannered and behaved of the Monarchy....in the coursening of the world today." It was something to that effect. It's so very true.

[quote]Harry actually sticks out more because they didn’t let him wear his uniform. I couldn’t spot William at first because of his hat.

I don't think Andrew is in uniform either. There are others too, so Harry only 'stands out' because he thinks he does.

Our fav, Johnny (Queen's bodyguard) is seen behind the RF.

That's about the quality of analysis on CNN. It's a ridiculous, illogical, desperate to fill air thing to say and the reason I'm watching the BBC. Dimbleby forever!

I can barely watch this in case they drop the coffin or the crown slips

Andrew isn't in uniform. Neither is Earl Snowdon or Peter Philips.

There's going to be roughly 30 soldiers, sailors and airmen with very bad backs by the time everyone is done lifting that lead coffin up and down on Monday

Those lads carrying the coffin will be telling their grandkids about this day.

Just majestic...

Seeing the imperial crown, with a diamond the size of a lemon, outside is rather astonishing.

I hope they remembered her 👜.

Was Prince Michael in the procession? I didn't see him but he's stood near the door at the other end of the line from his wife.

Lovely ceremony...

Nice dramatic pause by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Can't see Megs standing next to Harry because Wills is in the way.

A selection of very gentle Scripture readings that have been said at funerals up and down the country. Very nice.

[quote]Can't see Megs standing next to Harry because Wills is in the way.

Now and always.

Anyone recognised any of the music during the procession?

At least Megs put her hair in a bun, not those fucking dangling bits.

The choir...all male. The boys have such angelic voices.

R387: Still has that repulsive smug look on its face. She should not be there.

[quote] The boys have such angelic voices.

They probably still castrate them.

Really easy joke goes here.

All of the hot pall bearers are on one side of the coffin.

It’s disgusting that Meghan is there given how she has trashed that family and accused them of racism. What a cunt…

I believe Kate is wearing the Queen's pearl and diamond leaf brooch.

Now she will remain there for four days, I think.

Catherine looks so elegant and dignified. MM looks like a smug , painted up whore

I just noticed some of the lads are wearing black armbands, some aren't.

Charles looks unsteady on his feet. He must be exhausted (and probably dehydrated).

I know Harry removed himself for the RF, but he should have worn a military uniform. He did serve in Afghanistan.

Does anyone know the name of the hymn that the choir was singing when the Queens coffin was brought into the cathedral was called? iI was beautiful

Wow. Just all of it.

*from the RF...

I really dislike the net veils on both Kate and Meghan, cheap-looking.

Don't they put the orb and sceptre on the coffin????

It's a lot of pressure on Charles. I would never want to be in that position.

And Megs and Harry grasped hands on the way out. It looks so juvenile.

I don't know why Charles and Camilla don't follow the example of the Sussexes and hold hands at this occasion.

Enough with the hand holding!!

The Royal vehicles I thought were black, but are a Royal claret....a very deep red/burgandy color.

*burgundy^

R399 This has been done - to - death. Harry QUIT the military and was required to return his uniform.

And, technically, he has also committed High Treason against his Commander in Chief. And he was protected during service at all times.

He deserves not to be there at all.

The crowds have thinned appreciably.

I cannot fucking believe that Harry and Meghan couldn't restrain their We're So In Love Hand Game before even getting out of the Abbey.

They are so utterly without class.

[quote] And, technically, he has also committed High Treason against his Commander in Chief.

Lol!

The kids bugger off back to Buck House and leave the rest of the mob in the Hall. And they're going to do what?

r400 I think it was this but probably the King James version.

R412 There's nothing to see any longer. I think it's now the lying-in-state until the funeral on Monday. The crowds now will be the queues going into Westminster Palace to pass the catafalque.

Kate looked stunning.

R408 they turned handholding into a BEC thing

I wonder what the Imperial Crown is worth...will have to google it.

So all the rest of the people still in the hall are just going to stand there til Monday?????

This is nothing against Markle, as it can't be helped, but she looks terrible in these types of hat. Her head perfectly resembles an acorn and these hats just accentuate that shape. It was particularly bad when she wore that green monstrosity.

r421 No the British armed forces are still just about big enough they can swap the guards out every few hours. Everyone else will probably file back into the parliament building and go home.

Betcha 20% of the people still in the hall need to pee. Real bad!!

I had no idea Westminster Cathedral is Catholic. (The more you know ….)

Nicola Sturgeon looking up and contemplating another republic referendum.

Everyone is getting fidgety.

Westminster Cathedral is Catholic. Westminster Abbey is Church of England. Westminster Hall is part of the medieval Palace of Westminster, and is part of the complex buildings that make up Parliament.

I can't believe they're all still standing there. They let the lesser royals leave 10 min ago.

R426, or the feeling of it slipping away.

Will Mum be laid to rest amongst Shakespeare & Chaucer & Darwin???

Picture of Kate and Sophie from Westminster Hall. Can you see it? Telegraph, so could be paywalled? (I subscribe, happy to share.)

r426 She never contemplated a republic referendum. Their current plan is to restablish the kingdom of Scotland. The SNP has plenty of republicans and their would probably be a push for a republic but their current manifesto is become independent with Charles on the Scottish throne.

for a week she’s the world’s mum

[quote]This is nothing against Markle, as it can't be helped, but she looks terrible in these types of hat.

I don't know, I thought she looked since; she really looked like her mom in that hat

A Sikh in the CofE choir???

The Imperial Crown is worth up to 5 billion pounds....yikers!

That crown is just wow 🤩

looked *nice*; Kate is next level, but Markle looked nice.

R433 They gave it a go in 2014 and lost. Didn't think they'd try again.

[quote] A Sikh in the CofE choir???

Klan Granny detected

I don't like Markle, but I'm not going to slam her on everything. She looked nice.

Someone on another site noted Markle looked just like her sister today and now I cannot unsee it.

Harry's memoir officially delayed until next year. Someone is hoping to get an invite to the coronation.

[quote] A Sikh in the CofE choir???

[quote] Klan Granny detected

R441 Valid question from someone who is clueless about it. Your arrogant racist assumption is misplaced.

R444 More likely someone's hoping to be generously remunerated by Papa.

It must be depressing to have all this rigmarole surrounding your family member's death, and to see their coffin get taken to all these different places. The Queen left Balmoral for the last time... then she left Holyrood for the last time... then she left Scotland altogether for the last time... then she left Buckingham Palace for the last time... and there have been all these ceremonies as well. I'd hate it, it would just prolong the agony.

Jews have the right idea. Bury 'em within 24 hours. Skip the rigamorole and prolonged agony.

I'm watching the BBC feed (though trying to work too). David Attenborough sounds so weak. I love that man and will be gutted when it's his time. He should also get a State funeral (though not this level, of course)

Can someone please post a pic of Catherine and Meghan?

R447, there is usually comfort in ritual, for most of us, and above and beyond, we see the word duty used often in relation to monarchy. This is their duty being done. This is them serving.

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There’s just so much jockeying for position and thousands of rules of protocol

[quote] Nicola Sturgeon looking up and contemplating another republic referendum.

Thank you for that expert analysis, r426. You are obviously an expert on British current affairs, Scotland, the Constitution and mind-reading…

I too am looking forward to another (?) republic (?) referendum…

R453 Oh dear! Someone hasn't had his afternoon wank.

I get that Harry and Meghan have to be there, but it is viscerally nauseating to see them, after everything they've done.

I don't think Meghan looked great, but minority opinion I this the small neat hat suited her, and the quiet unadorned clothes played down the Sponge Bob figure.

She was sure no competition for the almost transformed woman in front of her, who suddenly seems to radiate an almost dangerous regality.

Kate is now the Princess of Wales . . . And it shows.

Telegraph reporting that Harry's book has been delayed until 2023, after all.

They know that bringing out salacious shot on the family now barely two months after her funeral isn't going to do them any favours.

And, with Charles smoothly undercutting their victimhood by including them fully in the mourning, their attempts at dramatising their wretched treatment at the hands of the BRF will make Meghan, particularly, look horrible as she stood there playing the sad mourner at the rites.

She couldceadily have cited the kids and just hone back, refusing to engage in insincere mourning.

R454, as comebacks go: well done! LOL.

If you'd told me this time last week Prince Charles becoming king and his issue with pens would become a meme I'd have asked if you'd hit your head.

[quote] She was sure no competition for the almost transformed woman in front of her, who suddenly seems to radiate an almost dangerous regality.

MARY!!!

At least we know what to get him for Christmas.

He always complains his pen is out of ink

Remembering all the DL comments about Kate being lazy (now she’s practically curing cancer).

I wonder if Elizardbeth has reverted back to her reptilian form. They won't show her body as a result. Don't forget Putin said Elizabeth shape shifted before him several times. Princess Diana said The BRF were lizards.

[quote]I'm watching the BBC feed (though trying to work too). David Attenborough sounds so weak.

It was perhaps tactless of Huw Edwards to mention that DA is the same age as the late Queen - but it's astonishing too. No doubt he tires easily, but wanted that ringside seat for a majestic occasion.

Kate looked regal.

Flawless

Too much blush and too shiny

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She looked great but both she and Meghan were a bit too made up, especially the blush.

^ Major Johnny alert! Swoon worthy in a kilt!

More info on Kate's brooch for all the jewelry buffs.

Ground control to Major Thompson, my cock is stiffening, is something wrong, can you hear me Major Thom?

As of today, here is a list of the royal guests who will be attending the Queen's funeral.

a bunch of heads of state is going to be a major boner killer

Can’t they get Simon as producer?

For those asking why Meghan's face looked puffy, that happens after a night of heavy drinking.

Here in Britain, we say she looks like she’s been drinking piss all night!

I'm sure the Beckhams have been hitting their phones for contacts, letting it be known they're free on Monday.

This hot piece of Scottish ass is DL's new boyfriend.

Oooh, there's my favorite, Alexander Ogilvy, on the right in the pic at R480.

I wonder if Eug is pregnant again; she kind of looks like it

The orb and sceptre have been placed atop the Queen's coffin.

We're now in the phase of coverage where, with nothing to do, media ask people how long they've been lined up and what they do about the bog.

Would any ex-Presidents attend the big send-off? It's only Shitler I care about, of course. Would he feel like he could derive some kind of bizarre self-importance from showing up to this event (that no one on earth wants him to go near)? He is CERTAIN to view it as an opportunity for some desperately needed "good" publicity, a diversion, considering he's up to his greasy ass in legal problems (which are only going to get worse, and soon). What think'ee?

I would guess the only ex who might make it are the Obamas and on a personal basis. There's only so much room. They've got their own country to prioritize and they have invited a lot of monarchy: not just reigning sovereigns but heirs too.

R487 - it's only President Biden and the First Lady who will be attending.

Not a gorgeous as the Philip Funeral Photo but a lovely view nevertheless.

That tweet at r485. "The Empire State Crown", haha. Gotta love America.

Camilla and Catherine.

At R490 she's texting Sophie.

K8: OMG, how can you bear it?

Swexy: LOLZ.... said: Told her band wd play Free Nelson Mandela... Never so grateful for awkward silence... LOLZ...

Poor Sophie. She got stuck with You Know Who.

Here are the Two Clowns pretending they have respect for the late Queen.

R493 is what passes for humor on Mumsnet.

Madiba, R496.

Yes, both Kate & Meghan have way too much dark cheek makeup (blush, rouge).

At 3:10, Sophie looks over at Meghan. Meghan can't handle it and looks away. Then at 5:05, Meghan squeezes between chairs to get ahead of Sophie in line.

We don't care r491

R431 No. She will be laid to rest in St George's Chapel at Windsor, with her parents and sister. Prince Philip will them be moved to the same spot so they can be together.

This whole thing vis-a-vis the Sussexes and the BRF is fascinating. There Meghan is, executing a deep curtsy to the woman upon whose family, just three weeks ago, she was spreading slime and threats. When she's asked why, if they were so awful, she eagerly participated in these high-profile events and made it look like she reverenced the woman, what does she say?

Ditto Harry. There he is, head bowed respectfully (dear God his bald spot is the size of the Loch Ness and his scraggly beard is vomit-inducing - Do not touch me with that thing!) - and planning to bring out a book that promises to air more dirty laundry so it can make lots of money.

Really, for first-class theatrical gossip, it doesn't get any better.

I think Meghan did like QE, but the criticism inevitably rolled uphill because QE was in charge of the family. In other words, I think Meghan's beefs were with other, unnamed members of the family. But you can't criticize the apples without looking at the tree.

Did anyone else notice how quite lovely Lady Louise Windsor looked? She had a quite nice hat on, and her complexion is exceptional, she's inherited the family's one truly beautiful attribute. Her curtsy was beautiful, too. Eugenie looked ghastly. Bea quite nice.

Say what you like about the DM, you can't beat their photo coverage.

Link in next post.

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One notes that they are all executing the curtsy (reverance in French) correctly, with the right foot behind the left whilst the left leg bends in front, head down but not shoulders.

Thanks to whoever dug up the info on the brooch Kate wore today. Note that she also, as predicted, wore the pearl and diamond earrings loaned to her when she married William, and which she wears frequently. She wore them to Philip's funeral.

So, Kate is now displaying a double-strand pearl necklace of the Queen's, the pearl and diamond earrings, and the pearl and diamond brooch.

I was hoping she would wear the Prince of Wales feathers diamond brooch that Diana got as a wedding present. Perhaps on Monday . . .

IMO, all the women looked good because they were all forced to wear black and be somewhat understated. Hard to go wrong. Camilla's dress was actually the shortest. Kate should just wear shorter dresses all the time b/c her calves are a good feature.

Ah, all three of the senior Danish royals will be there Monday, Queen Margethe and her heir, Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary. Mary is usually quite stylish. And for people like Margrethe, King Olaf of Norway, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden . . . and their middle-aged heirs . . . there have to be some uncomfortable thoughts flowing . . .

The Emperor AND Empress of Japan - she's quite reclusive, it's a measure of the meaning of this particular state occasion that Masako is coming.

Oh to have been a fly on the wall in Sophie and Meghan's car...

I love a good curtsy. I really do. Bowing is boring. Pulling a curtsy off with aplomb, that's style.

The Imperial State Crown.

Thank you r416. I think that is it. This old Jew finds it just beautiful

They all looked sincerely sad, some had swollen eyes. My feeling is sometimes it’s harder to lose something who’s that old—you’re so used to them being ever present in your life.

Quite like Sophie Wessex but today's dress was a little Fraulein Maria.

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^ Sparkles thinking about her next meeting wirh Sunshine Sachs.

Do you think we'll ever learn the Queen's cause of death?

Gayle King is on the case R517.

R502 Bullshit. Markle snarked that “nobody owned the word royal” and “ anyone can live a life of duty” as a direct reponse to statements the Queen herself put out. When Philip was dying, she was so desperate to tell her lies to Oprah that she accused the palace - who is the Queen - of using his illness as an excuse to try and “silence” her.

Liked the Queen? That cunt doesn’t have the smallest regard for anyone but herself. Watching her soaking up the attention this week is truly repulsive. She consistently turned down invitations to Balmoral during the summer (when the Queen was obviously becoming more and more unwell) but was determined to get her smug orange face up there as soon as she knew she was dying and cameras would be present.

She should have had the decency to head back to America…she could pretend one of her children was ill, or something. But the nerve of this woman being here when she caused such immense damage to an institution she didn’t understand and couldn’t be bothered to learn about. This is not her country, not her monarchy, not her Queen and not her business, quite frankly. Pube face has to be here, unfortunately, but the yank skank should go back to her own trashy country.

Totally concur, and laughed when she told a walkabout well-wisher that "the family appreciates it." Really, a cunt of monumental proportions.

R517 Not sure. Apparently at a certain age, “old age” is an acceptable cause of death and nothing more specific is needed. They used this on Phillp’s death cert.

[quote] Oh to have been a fly on the wall in Sophie and Meghan's car...

You'd probably think your hearing had gone, because there was complete silence for the entire ride.

I hope there are public toilets in that line to pay respects to Q E II.

[quote] Apparently at a certain age, “old age” is an acceptable cause of death and nothing more specific is needed. They used this on Phillp’s death cert.

My mom wasn't in her 90s, but she was old when she died. There's a cause of death on her death certificate.

The royals are getting the royal treatment if there's no medical cause of death on their certificates. Could be as simple as heart failure, whatever. You don't just reach a certain age and the ME says, "old age."

Muriel isn't fucking around. She deleted the "William & Kate with Harry & Meghan" part 2 thread.

They can always say cardiovascular failure because in the end your heart fails. My mother died of cardiovascular failure. The doctor put complications of advanced dementia. If they're old and there's no suggestion of wrong doing, nobody is really fussed.

R524 Well you expected:

Fountain pen in jugular vein.

R513 Obviously you've never changed a colostomy bag .

R524 with all due respect, your Mom may have had cause of death on her death certificate - I’m assuming that your Mom didn’t die in the UK.

Amazingly, USA federal and state law aren’t applicable in other countries!

As a genealogist, I've looked at many, many death certificates and they often just say "old age" (or "senility").

I was randomly browsing YouTube for vision of the procession to and lying in state at Westminster Hall and came across ABC’s David Muir telling viewers about “Princess Kate”, “Duchess Meghan” and “Countess Sophie” - do these people get any briefing or do they just make it up as they go along? Plus he droned on and on over the beautiful singing and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s address.

Plonker.

I was glad to see the King of Tonga showing on the list (which was linked above) of crowned heads who will attend the funeral.

I watched the coverage through Youtube from Sky News.

Very little commentary.

For the most part, they let the video speak for itself.

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I’ve been a pretty good queen, but please bury me before they realize I wasn’t actually chosen by God

R531, I agree. The foreign reporting is dismal, about two seats the other side of Entertainment Tonight. They can't even get the basics right when referring to the Queen, such as between HM and HRH. Which matters mostly because reporters are supposed to get it right. Now I guess they just regret the error and whine about how hard it all is. No one is perfect but what I think about is the mentality: a) what else don't they understand and b) what else are they reporting wrongly?

I've been watching BBC and Sky and they know what they're about. As observed, often times they can just like the natural sound run and it's so impactful.

[quote]Quite like Sophie Wessex but today's dress was a little Fraulein Maria.

I thought that too; like she was the headmistress of some severe catholic girls school. She's a tall, attractive woman, albeit a bit matronly and typically looks quite smart. She needs to hire away someone from Kate's team

BBC had David Attenborough yesterday. He too is 96 and his recall and his vocabulary was breathtaking. Seriously, for a man his age to command the facts and the narrative so clearly, with a real respectful, gentle quality to his delivery. Thank God he's not on CNN being talked over by Don Lemon.

Here's a poignant bit with him and the Queen in the garden at Buckingham Palace (especially around the 1:30 mark):

the Maul reported today the Commonwealth realm countries have been allowed to send their head of government, governor general, plus ones and ten regular citizens of their choosing. I thought that was rather nice.

They’ve got to put a little lime & spritz in that table water

maybe a kicker of spirits

^ ?

It’s a pretty dull lifeless crowd, it needs some bells and whistles

They have fanned out today. Wessexes in Manchester, Anne in Glasgow, Cambridges at Sandringham.

Meghan and Harry were pretty clear as I understood it. The primary beef began with the Palace stafffers who sabotage, undermine and leak negatively and do it deliberately as part of a strategy in this case because of Andrew's filth. The Tabloids loved pounding on Meghan and Harry because it satisfied a broader strategy. It distracted from Andrew and helped elevate Catherine and William. and Charles offered no assistance. He was from the "stop complaining and just suck it up." Even though he is one of the biggest complainers and cry babies in the family. And William did resent Harry's popularity. Harry is a lot like his mother. The same volatility, sense of grievance and feeling like a victim. Now Diana wasn't always wrong, and neither is Harry, but Charles and the Palace staff did nothing to calm the situation. In fact, Charles is more likely to run away from conflict. He doesn't know how to deal with it. He is more the underhanded type.

r544 And the Queen-Consort at the Hare and Hounds.

The tabloids also pounded on Kate and Camilla. Your point? Whatever was printed in a tabloid didn't compel the Harkles to unleash their litany of lies and whining, not to mention threats of leaking more information, and it certainly didn't force them to merch a wreath at a funeral. They are immature petty trash, pure and simple.

We should just start calling her the Queen and leave her ho life out of it

Queen 👸 Camilla has a very nice natural disposition and a jolly good sense of humor

R545 What the fuck are you on about now?

Who was trying to “distract” from Andrew? The BRF? Well they failed utterly because his (supposed) wrongdoings are known the world over. The media? The media who investigated and then broke the story? That media? Right, because that makes sense. They wanted to distract everyone from Andrew by printing stories about the (unevidenced) allegations against him. That’s your argument, brainiac?

The tabloids printed the truth about Meghan. They told us about how this repulsive American screamed at Windsor kitchen staff so loudly the Queen had to tell her off, was downright rude when staying with William and Kate, threw multiple tantrums before the wedding, notified the press so they could photograph her attending a very expensive baby shower (while her husband stayed home to make a speech about child food poverty), cleared an entire stand for herself and her fat friend at Wimbledon, became the subject of multiple bullying complaints by staff, lied in court about liaising with face ache Omid Scabies over his dumb book and greedily forced Charles to pay for £1m worth of clothes in one year.

Markle wanted to be a cunt in private, but that’s not how it works. When the palace wouldn’t destroy the fragile relationship they have with the press by lying for her, she stormed back to America slinging shit at everyone she could.

That’s what happened. Tough luck if you - and she - don’t like reality.

It’s better that they all went off to 10 different palaces to cool their heels. One can sense that there’s huge psychological chasms separating them.

And enormous amounts of money and properties that facilitate such distances.

Exactly what I was thinking, r551.

I'm close with my siblings. We get along, but still, after a couple of days, say, at the holidays, even we want our alone time, away from each other.

They've all gotta wiped out and resting for the main event.

I heard on CNN that Charles is hosting a reception for all the invited world leaders either Saturday or Sunday evening.

Can you imagine how exhausted they all will be Tuesday morning?

[quote] I am laying odds that Kate will for the first time be wearing the Prince of Wales feathers brooch in diamonds

I hope so, I love that emblem. I have to say I wasn’t crazy about the leaf pin, though it did have some big-ass pearls.

r519 why should she abandon her husband after a great loss? If the head of the family didn't want her there she wouldn't be there. Instead, Charles allows her to partake in events so clearly you are manufacturing drama that doesn't exist in the family to the degree you think.

I just hope Meghan doesn’t come home and do 2 hour behind the scenes of the funeral reveals with Oprah!

She’s built up a little credibility by looking sincere and pretty( it does help). Now don’t blow it and/or sell it.

She’ll be BANISHED from the Kingdom forever if she goes on American TV with her tales of suffering and “disrespect“ at the Queen’s Funeral

Netflix didn’t give Harry 100 million for nothing. They are going to want a little bang for their buck!

Was it really $100 million r557? Is that feared and clear, or are production costs (including advertising) coming out of that money?

Damnit, free and clear at r558.

"Oprah, I didn't want to say anything while in the UK to distract from The Queen's passing, but after seeing the outpouring of affection for me by the people, Catherine became so enraged and jealous that she kicked me and I had a miscarriage."

"Netflix didn’t give Harry 100 million for nothing. "

I thought the Netflix contract was "... up to $100 million" or whatever the ludicrous figure announced was. Basically, they were floated a few million for production costs and have produced... nothing, so it seems that they're making Reality TV rather than scrap the contract. Because no, Netflix isn't giving those two millions for nothing.

Honest question, was Megz drunk here? Wtf is she doing?

“Tell her to dance 💃🏼 a little on the grieving line. Get her to do something. Tell her to make a complete ass out of herself, for all we care!”

Are the Netflix people really out on the line recording everything?

She dances like Elaine Benis

Someone should play “Shining Star“ to see if she’ll dance like that again

Who are the people that said her breath smelled like alcohol? he says many but who are they. She could have been greeting someone or waving or a number of things to bend over like that. Plus she was in heels.

I really wish posters would stop with those side-show conspiracy videos. Reminds of the Trump WH when they accuse Jim Acosta of "hitting an intern" when she tried to take his mic away during a Q&A with Trump.

This garbage is just not needed. Plenty of things to not like about Meghan without gossip that she smelled of booze. But find me a news article from a real news agency that says she was drunk or suspected of being drunk and I'd be inclined to believe it r562.

Sorrreee, Meghan doesn't drink anymore. And she was able to wean Harry, get him to eat healtheir exercise, etc. He lostw eight and looks healthier and better than he did for years. Nice try. I'm sure you'll come up with something else.

A man was arrested for rushing at the Queen's coffin. DL won't let me post a link, for some reason.

Who the hell wouldn't drink, if they were cooped up with the royal family grieving and arguing over who gets what title or what perk! I regard Meghan with disdain, but I can't blame her for going a bit Wine Mom this week.

But as for Harry, R568, he doesn't look "healthier", every year he looks doughier, puffier, and less healthy. What the hell does he do all day long, while Meg is hustling for enough money to afford their extravaganza of a house and the nannies are raising the kids? Betcha he starts drinking after breakfast.

No doubt he's a drinker, r570. No doubt at all.

Excuse me, Harry is kept quite busy honing his juggling skills , thank you very much.

[quote] Camilla's dress was actually the shortest.

I didn't notice this but thought Camilla's hat was rather jaunty for the occasion.

R451 Meghan DOES NOT BELONG in this photo.

R574 Meghan is part of the family, the king's daughter in law.

^and mother to his grandchildren.

High heels are hard to walk in, especially on gravel paths. I wonder if the two of them hold hands so much because Meghan is wobbly on her stilettos.

[quote]A man was arrested for rushing at the Queen's coffin. DL won't let me post a link, for some reason.

Was he some obese, orange looking creature wearing a red hat and screaming "SHE LOVED ME MORE THAN OBAMA!" If so, this man has a lengthy criminal record and is clearly deranged, so I hope the Brits lock him up

The Harkles hold hands constantly on every surface. Try again.

Looking at the length of that queue... the British monarchy is not in any trouble for the foreseeable future. You could say, "But people are there to pay their respects to the late Queen, not the monarchy itself" - but that argument doesn't hold much water, IMO. How many republicans would queue for twenty-four hours to view a Queen's coffin?

R580, it absolutely is for the queen, not the monarchy. She was like everyone’s grandmother. Charles has an opportunity to achieve the same respect and love, but he would have to change his ways and especially calm his temper. If Charles had died instead of the queen, you wouldn’t see anything nearly this epic line. In fact, people would be sad for the queen losing a son.

Look at the reception of all them outside, with people. The monarchy is fine. I will agree that fine is fragile. They need to continually earn their role, but at the same time it isn't difficult. It's continuing to do more of the same and only occasional pen problems.

Charles is getting cheered all over the place, and both figuratively and literally embraced. The only criticism I would make about Charles is that he talks too much and he needs to stop. One of the things about the Queen is there was always an air of mystery about her. We never knew what she really thought. We projected a lot on her. It was very effective in her later years to allow her to loosen up and humaize her to the public, because for decades she was very buttoned down. That air of not know WTF she thought, allowed her to have influence. Because she so rarely showed any feelings, risking her displeasure or bad judgement was a big deal. Charles is going to wear thin soon enough. Of course the Media feels like he'll make great copy but it may not be to his benefit.

"[R580], it absolutely is for the queen, not the monarchy. She was like everyone’s grandmother. "

I'm an American, and even to me, she felt like a distant relative. She's been in the background of my life for over sixty years, like an elderly aunt or great-aunt that one sees or hears about occasionally as part of the family network. That feeling has got to be much stronger and ore personal for Britons. The BRF is out there constantly meeting the public and the queen herself has been doing so since before old people were born, so I imagine that the average Brit has met or seen the queen or one of her close relatives, which has got to multiply the ever-present feeling one gets with relatives.

So some of that family (familiar) feeling is going to carry over to Charles, if Elizabeth was a nation's grandmother, then Charles is a nation's annoying uncle, right? But he's also in a position to lose much of that affection, if people are shouting "God Save the King" now, he'd better not take that expression of support for granted.

I love that Camilla has big floppy udders and a riotous sense of humor to go along with them!

Here's some pointless trivia - living people who have shared (or will share) a former title of the Queen's:

Beatrice and Eugenie were Princesses of York before their marriages, as were the Queen and Margaret

Camilla is now HM the Queen

Sophie may soon be Duchess of Edinburgh, as the Queen was before her father's death

Queen Camilla would make a great Hag. Haggis pie for her- straight people bore her

Goodbye 👋🏻 Mum

R586 Camilla, Eugenia & Beatrice also all shared the same bra size with Q and frequently traded and giggled and had girly sleepovers

Some Sargent Major just did a Monty Python silly walk down the boulevard of broken dreams

Now everyone hold in your water for the next 12 hours

R589 was Anne ever invited over for the tittie twisting fun nights?

Field Marshall Anne was uninvited not just for her failed bosom but her soured stare

Flipping through the channels, I’m chortling like a drunken hyena at the suffocating pretentiousness

This is indeed THE HOMOSEXUAL SUPERBOWL

There's a superbowl every fucking year, R595! This is THE HOMOSEXUAL MOON LANDING!!!

^ 🥂

🚀 👬

Where the fuck is Fergie?

She was seen this morning at the window inside the Ecuadorian Embassy