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Original poster

What happens if the Queen dies during lockdown, for her funeral??

123 replies

Alonelonelyloner · 09/02/2021 17:52

My non-Brit partner just asked me what they'd do about her funeral and I don't know. What would happen? Put her on ice til later?

OP posts:
JaninaDuszejko · 10/02/2021 05:31

Thinking about this now, when Princess Diana died it was so sudden and she was so young so possibly no blue print for her funeral at that time

There wasn't. They used the plans for the Queen Mum.

Anyway, 10 days of mourning? Are businesses really expected to stop work for 10 days? Or will we all be critical workers and continue WFH?

Original poster
Alonelonelyloner · 10/02/2021 05:32

HAHAHAHAHAHA @TheSpottedZebra brilliant. Curtains flapping are especially annoying at funerals . Imagine. A state zoom funeral neither flappy drapes?!

OP posts:
HeronLanyon · 10/02/2021 06:09

Re curtains - I immediately imagined a mantilla - those Spanish widows’ veils. Question would be how they are worn with face mask ? That post may have been relevant after all ?

soundofsilence1 · 10/02/2021 08:22

I am just amazed how many people have been considering this. Just goes to show how bored everyone is.

Nith · 10/02/2021 09:33

I suspect it would be a bit like the US presidential organisation. Funeral in Westminster Abbey or St Paul's with a few dignitaries widely spaced, televised, memorial service later. Though I'm not sure how they'd prevent people gathering in the nearby streets short of not announcing when it's happening.

EdithWeston · 10/02/2021 09:40

The actual funeral will, like all others, be private family only interment qute possibly at St Geroges Chapel at Windsor.

Public memorial service (parallel pomp to State funeral) will probably delayed. And the change for ad hoc international head of state diplomacy will probably be lost as so many will not be able to travel for quite a large no time.

National mourning could probably go ahead - with less intrusive effect than in non-pandemic times, and things like gun salutes could still happen, and it should be possible to have books of condolence (SD queues, bring your own pen)

Probably in the short term a formal memorial broadcast, on all British terrestrial channels to mark end of national mourning

EdithWeston · 10/02/2021 09:43

@soundofsilence1

I am just amazed how many people have been considering this. Just goes to show how bored everyone is.
There have been quite a few threads pre-pandemic about what wouid happen, but as they're not in the topic they can be quite difficult to find. I don't think this thread is any more the product of boredom than they were

@Alonelonelyloner - would you consider asking for this to be moved to the Royal Family topic? It's an interesting one and it would be a shame if it just got buried in general chat

EdithWeston · 10/02/2021 09:48

@Scbchl

Maybe they just wont announce if she or phillip die in lockdown. For public safety to prevent crowds. How would we know either way.
We'd know because the business of government would stall.

Royal Assent is required for all new laws. So either no new laws - how to explain that ? - or illegally signed by someone other than the new monarch. If signed by King Charles, that would be immediately apparent as they are publicly gazetted

ShaunaTheSheep · 10/02/2021 10:26

Books of condolence could easily be virtual/online.

3rdNamechange · 10/02/2021 10:29

@CoronaIsWatching

I think the country would go doolally if the Queen dies during lockdown.
Why ?
LApprentiSorcier · 10/02/2021 10:34

Her mother lived to over 100, and she was a heavy drinker, so I think the Queen will make it to about 105.

HeronLanyon · 10/02/2021 10:41

I agree with doollaly.
A momentous historic event (to a large extent irrespective of your views on the monarchy). An event which I culturally marked by large public gatherings, national mourning periods wtc.
I think it’s kind of unpredictable how everyone would behave if this happened during national lockdown.
Even just the effect of ‘this as well on top of everything else’ would be a bit doollaly engendering for me - not a lover of the monarchy.

VinylDetective · 10/02/2021 10:47

@MrsMackesy

HMQ is in rude health as I understand it - still pony riding, all her faculties intact etc - and has the best of healthcare on hand. I think she will go on for some years yet.
Replace riding with golf and you’re describing my dad. He went to bed one night and didn’t wake up.
SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun · 10/02/2021 11:21

I think they would let the official number limit be from family and all the security people, maybe a choir (are they still going in some places of worship?) and film crews would be in addition and would be far away from the family anyway. They could do the gun carriage procession through London but they would probably have to close the streets so that no-one could see anything if they turned up in order to try and keep everyone at home and watching on the tv.

I would be really weird and sad. But the image of the Queen on her own in a black face mask on Rememberance Day at the tomb of the unknown soldier was also really strange and we just had to do it differently.

No lying in state or at least hardly anyone allowed to go and pay their respects.

Hopefully she will still be here by the time the lockdown has lifted.

stampsurprise · 10/02/2021 14:07

Also won’t there need to be some kind of coronation ceremony for William?

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 10/02/2021 14:23

For King Charles, I think you mean, @stampsurprise. Likely to be some years, decades even, before William takes over.

Not even guaranteed he'd want to be known as King Charles - sometimes they pick a new name, as the Queen's father did (he was Bertie in the family, and became George VI).

Coronations take time to arrange. The Queen's was in 1953 and she ascended to the throne in 1952.

Nith · 10/02/2021 16:11

@stampsurprise

Also won’t there need to be some kind of coronation ceremony for William?
(Charles, of course, not William)

They regularly delay coronation ceremonies for some time. They never got round to a ceremony for Edward VIII at all, which is probably just as well - it was due to take place in May 1937 but he abdicated in 1936. Edward VII's coronation was postponed because he was ill, sparking lots of litigation around frustration of contracts which law students still have to learn about to this day. The current queen acceded to the throne in February 1952 and was crowned in June 1953.

stampsurprise · 10/02/2021 17:01

CHARLES!!!! Not William! I knew that (honest) had a brain fart sorry Grin

stampsurprise · 10/02/2021 17:02

Thanks Nith! That was incredibly interesting - I love hearing about this sort of stufff.

Nancylovesthecock · 10/02/2021 17:07

TREASON !!! 😁 Off with your head!

Original poster
Alonelonelyloner · 10/02/2021 17:29

@EdithWeston good idea. How do I do that?

OP posts:
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 10/02/2021 17:55

@Alonelonelyloner, I think it's just a matter of tagging into @MNHQ and asking for this thread to be moved to Royalty.

Original poster
Alonelonelyloner · 10/02/2021 21:26

@MNHQ could this be moved to Royalty please? Might be better there. Thank you!

Thanks @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

OP posts:
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