I'm so impressed with the pageantry, the police, the whole shebang

[meateatingveggie]

I know we do it well. But at such short notice there's faultless pomp, ceremony, all those servicemen, all in the right place

Yes I know it's all rehearsed. But so impressive

Just fabulous. Completely bonkers, centuries of tradition that Britain does like no-one else. Even down to leaving a marmalade sandwich 'for later.' Wonderful. RIP Your Majesty.

I like seeing how even in modern Britain we can experience something that has been unchanged for hundreds of years.

Even in the local authority level. The idea of seeing someone stand on the county hall steps today and proclaim the king, in practically the same uniforms and traditions as someone stood on that spot 300 years ago would have experienced and done it all, is just fascinating to me.

It weirdly connects the past to the present, the crown really is a stable and constant institution isn't it!

Also yeah, I like the pomp, the ceremony, the military bands, the marching, the horses, all done with such expert and precise timing and so on. I just can't wait for the coronation to see the glistening jewels 👑🤣

@mpsw
❤️that’s lovely

I agree, it is fascinating to know there are 'experts' in all of this and how it all slips in to place without ever having been able to plan a date.

I too find all the ceremony fascinating.

And who knew the Scots have a battalion of archers? I wonder what they all do the rest of the time?

Who were all the people in the fancy dress on the balcony for the proclamation at St. James Palace?

They're obviously non military so what are their actual real life jobs? Civil servants with additional ceremonial roles maybe??

It was clearly very well rehearsed but I spent the whole time wondering who they were and what they usually do Mon-Fri. 🤔

X post pasta 😆

Could the queens body have been transported in secret, then the official procession carried out to give the impression of the official version ?

Could they have transported the 1/4 ton coffin of the monarch secretly from the palace which has camera crews and members of the public standing outside constantly as well as helicopters, drones and who knows what else in the skies around the areas, all accompanied by the heavy security that would be essential for HM?

No.

I don't think Princess Anne would have been too keen to sit unnecessarily in the back of a car for 6 hours if she weren't really accompanying her Mother.
Are you really so cynical that you would think this of a democratic Government/State?

It makes me really sad actually. Imagine all the skills and talent and dedication but instead of it being focused on one family it was focused on public benefit. We have all this capacity to do amazing things and it seems really wasted. I'm full of admiration for the people organising all this, its not a criticism of them, its the opposite- put them in charge of stuff that matters as I'm sure they could have sorted the energy crisis and feeding children in poverty and the climate crisis. Instead we have twats in government with the power and not the skills, and the people with the skills busy choreographing horses and wotnot.

That’s a lovely film. We had an irish wolfhound who was our beautiful hairy baby so watched that with a tear in my eye. Thank you for posting.

Who were all the people in the fancy dress on the balcony for the proclamation at St. James Palace?

They are heralds. You can read about them and their role here:
www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/2-coa/75-proclamation

Absolutely agree. The rituals are very comforting at a difficult time. This death has stirred up a lot of feelings for a lot of people. It’s been so meticulously done. Very impressive.

Why, exactly, would that be done?

It makes me really sad actually. Imagine all the skills and talent and dedication but instead of it being focused on one family it was focused on public benefit. We have all this capacity to do amazing things and it seems really wasted

This. Glad it’s not just me! As a nation we only seem to able to galvanise ourselves when it comes to pointless pomp and circumstance, royal or otherwise.

Oh gosh....well the skills and talent are really sat in the house of lords whom have no real power 😳

All those hereditary titles and dukedoms and stuff, apparently they are all the people who organise all this and the Duke of Norfolk is the "main man"

I mean the military side of it all, they are full time soldiers, so they are being paid for it all even if it's doing drill over and over again for the next week.

I find it embarrassing. Nothing to be proud of. We are a ridiculous country in so many ways, yet so conceited re our supposed exceptionalism.

If you think this country is democratic, you’re deluded. You’re literally talking about the unelected monarchy.

Me too. I'm a big history buff and I've really enjoyed watching all the ceremonies and finding out what all the little details and the costumes mean. I've been googling like crazy!
Fascinating stuff.

Yes you're paying for it so you may as well enjoy it!

What on earth would be the point in that

Yes it's the Duke of Norfolk & the Norfolk have traditionally been Catholic which is unusual in the aristocracy. He is from the house of Howard which also previously had two Queen consorts, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard.

They must have had plans for each of her 'locations' - if she's died in Windsor, for example, it wouldn't have been Scottish battalions, or if she'd died in Sandringham... She can't have planned to die at Balmoral - just chance, surely?

It's the old bread-and-circuses principle in action.