“Eight days of national mourning”

[Susie477]

Have been announced by the government, leading up to DofE’s funeral next Saturday.

WTF is that supposed to mean? Do we all have to wear black? Are jokes banned and comedians interned? Are radio stations not allowed to play ‘shiny happy people’?

@peak2021

how often do you think a ‘law’ is passed?

@PurpleDaisies didn't you see the posts calling for him to have a state funeral, and statues etc, etc.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Prince Phillip deserves our respect

Why? Doesn’t respect need to be earnt?

This man, in an era where men were largely the breadwinners, gave up a serious career to support his wife in hers. He developed the role of consort where there was no precedent and did it very successfully, supporting without ever eclipsing He gave almost his entire life to this country, to good causes and to charities I see respect for him as being very well earned

My DH has just been told all employees have to wear a black tie until the end of the week. His work place has zero connection to anything royal.

I’m finding it very amusing that the royalists on here fail to see the unpleasant comments directed at those of us who aren’t fans of the royals and think the whole enforced grief is a bit OTT! Unless I’ve missed it nobody has claimed that it isn’t sad for the family or has said anything derogatory about Prince Phillip. Times have moved on since the 1970s when people got excited about jubilees etc. Whether the royalists like it or not it is a fact that support for the royal family has been hugely declining for the past 25 years at least. Calling people ‘nasty’ and saying they have no empathy just because they don’t happen to share your point of view is a bit childish and a very weak argument. A 99 year old has died, I didn’t know him so why would this make any difference to me? I find grieving for someone you didn’t know a bit odd. I could understand it a bit more if one of the younger members died before their time but not a very elderly 99 year old.!

@freckles20

My DH has just been told all employees have to wear a black tie until the end of the week. His work place has zero connection to anything royal.

This is the sort of pointless enforcement of 'protocol' that people are complaining about. Yes, an important state figure has died, but not through violence, or lack of access to medical care, nor through Covid, as far as we know. In the current climate the set protocol feels wrong. That isn't to say people must not pay their respects, but we should remember that there will be people who are still shielding, or are housebound, without access to cable/satellite TV channels, who have no family. In a depressing climate this must be even more distressing for them. I understand putting out extended news bulletins, and running commemorative programmes but people may not want to watch/listen. I appreciate that the media are potentially pulling the strings with what they churn out for people to watch, but given that PP (of whom I was not a fan) didn't like fuss etc., then it also feels disrespectful by not observing what he himself would have expected.

If people want to have 1,2,3 minute silences, wear black, thats up to them. But employers insisting that employees fulfill some maudlin virtual- signalling, public hand-wringing is unacceptable.

@freckles20

My DH has just been told all employees have to wear a black tie until the end of the week. His work place has zero connection to anything royal.

I suggest your husband asks to see their revised dress code. A workplace cannot just simply implement a tie dress code. The most they’ve done is issue guidance and ask staff to adhere. Other than that I call phooey.

@Mairyhinge

Yesterday I happened to post something on face ache which pointed out that I'm not particularly interested in his death - was more bothered when I thought it was my friends dog that had died ( she texted me, " Dukes dead") And I was told to ' show some respect' and ' shame on you' Why?? There have been thousands and thousands of deaths this last year of ' common' people and I care about that very much. I care deeply about the local 18 year old who recently took his own life. I cried when I heard someone 10 year old daughter had attempted to end her life. But I will not mourn and over privileged 99 year old who died peacefully in his sleep after living what can only be described as an easy life! I do feel sad for the queen who's lost her husband but people are saying ' she's lost the love of her life' How do we know that?? Maybe they tolerated each other because divorce is simply not an option. Many be they adored each other but he was 99!!! It's hardly a young age. Oh and someone said to me ' I hope you get more respect when you die' Well actually I won't give a shit because I'll be dead!! I genuinely care about real people with real struggles and the sad deaths of so many from covid or from suicide during these impossible times . I don't care about the royals .

Spot on, all of your post 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼

@Toddlerteaplease

If a period of national mourning had beef suggested for Captain Tom, people would have jumped at it. Prince Phillip deserves our respect.

Sorry to disappoint you but I’ll save my respect for those who I deem worthy of it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Great article worth reading

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/13/elizabethan-era-britain-reign-tory-party

[quote Toddlerteaplease]@PurpleDaisies didn't you see the posts calling for him to have a state funeral, and statues etc, etc. [/quote]
I must have missed the part he played in history where he rightly earned such a huge honour, did he lead an army to win a significant a battle or create a vast empire that I’m not aware of? He must have done something amazing that changed the course of history to warrant such glory

@Ridgere

Twenty years I've been on MN. Since Cod. And that is the thickest thing I've ever read. I genuinely don't understand how people manage day to day life

😂😂😂

I agree.

@QueenOfTheDoubleWide

I realised today that I actually feel a bit despondent as a result of PPs death. Not because I am a royalist or had any particular connection with him but because it has highlighted, as again this thread has, how many thoroughly unpleasant people with no regard for the traditions and standards of this country there are about I've been on MN since it were all fields but the more I read on here these days, the more I despair for the future

I've felt despondent as well. So much vitriol about the death of PP. Public vitriol. Just leave it for a while. The #bekind thing seems even more ludicrous than ever. The death of PP has triggered sadness in me. My old DF died at 92 and he was the same generation and just as blunt.

The Government doesn't stop working for goodness sake! I'm civil service and I can assure you we're all still working!

It just means we wouldn't make any policy announcements (other than important ones re Covid) during this time.

Honestly - do posters really believe we get sent home for the 8 days? I'm on AL and yet have had to work as it's meant there's stuff I need to sort.

We are Crown Servants and we are not downing all tools and rending our garments! It simply means we keep our social media output more solemn than usual, and senior managers will wear black ties etc during important meetings. Everything else carries on. Some people have this way out of proportion.

I think the idea if being 'crown servants' is in itself problematic and highlights the problem with the monarchy. I .e how are they so superior? Do I rate an entitled, less educated, charity emblem rather than an ICU nurse or doctor? no I do not. They are privileged only by birth and have absolutely no grasp of the growth of food banks, spiraling domestic violence and flood of mental health difficulties. All contributed to by the 10 years of Tory rule, all supported by the UK royal family as it preserves the status quo, hence all the trouble with MM as whatever her faults she was unafraid to call out the racism, sexism within that culture