Has anyone been to the Lying In State and wished they hadn't bothered?

[Reallybadidea]

Just being nosey really. I'm not the most patient of people and can't imagine queuing for hours for anything. Has anyone been and found it a bit of a letdown once they got to the end (beginning?) of The Queue?

I know this is terrible, but that did make me PMSL. 😂

@ThreeRingCircus · Today 19:16

I wouldn't queue for 24 hours, but I admire those that are doing it.

Honestly the sneering and looking down on people choosing to do something that you personally wouldn't is awful. Nobody is going to stand for 24 hours in a constantly shuffling queue unless they're really dedicated to what they are doing.

So what? They're not hurting anyone, they are there for their own personal and varied reasons. Good on them.

By all accounts it seems quite a jovial and good natured queue and people seem to be saying they got something from it. What are you doing other than sitting on the internet bitching?

Queue or don't queue. But belittling other people by calling them stupid or poor says a lot more about you than it does them.

Hear hear. As I have said, I won't do it/can't do it, but I have NO problem with others doing it.

Well said! As you say, who the fuck does @Purplefoxes think she is? Rude, arrogant, and judgemental much?!

@Doingprettywellthanks not low income and if I wasn't working all weekend I would have been there. Such a weird view

You did see I made the point that leaned towards did not mean “all” didn’t you?

A few of my friends have gone but they've gone for the full experience. The queue has been a nice place to chat to people, make new friends, spot the occasional celebrity, wave on live TV, get a whopping amount of steps in, experience a London sunrise/sunset outside, culminating in paying their respects. So I think the queue is just as much a part of it, as seeing the Queen lying in state.

@sunglassesonthetable Because I was a bit horrified watching it on the news (and incidentally that was ALL that was on the news, there is no escaping it!) I didn't find it moving I found it the opposite, really vulgar and creepy, as many other people have also said it was like a grand public gawping session.. I could not understand it at all. Yes it has happened before in history but we've moved on a lot (well at least, I thought we had!) it's modern times now. We don't tend to revere the royal family like god's these days.

Like I said, finally some people explained their reasons for going. And for the most part it has zero reasons to do with the queen. It basically boils down to because they wanted the social aspect! Now I understand that although personally would have thought there are better causes people could get behind like poverty, cancer etc but that's their choice. And as others have said far be it from me to dictate what others spend their money on, we can't even control what the royal family spend OUR money on afterall! I guess I hit a nerve with some and yes my language was harsh and I have indeed changed my mind on that because honestly I don't think you can sterotype everyone that goes, it was my immediate reaction but since hearing individual stories it softened my views somewhat. Although not on my general feelings about the monarchy. You know people can change their minds, that is the point of debate isn't it? 🤔 However I have not used the delightful sweary language as some of the responses received from you and @WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps particularly which hardly makes me take you seriously either and actually reflects pretty poorly on you 🤣🤣 We are all allowed to have different opinions because this is a FREE country not a royal dictatorship. So you don't like my opinion? I am afraid a lot of people think like me, they are just not brave enough to say it or will just laugh in private about it. Sorry if that is not what you want to hear. I genuinely think with the next and my generation there is not this total fetishization of the royal family as there seems to be with the over 50s as if they are celebrities and they are seen for what they really are. If you want to know what I mean about fetishization...take the example that for about the last 25 years the daily express and the daily mail have sold their papers by regularly splashing Princess Diana all over their covers. She's still dead last time I checked and nothing new to learn but people still love to buy this crap to gawp at 'how lovely she was' and so it continues. If she'd look like a troll I seriously doubt she would be selling newspapers still would she! I just think it is so odd how so many people think they have a deep connection to a bunch of billionaires who in reality have a zero interest in the peasants (us) they leach off and never have as long as the money rolls in to fund their lavish lifestyles and private jetting around. They pretend to care of course but really and honestly DO THEY? Do you think they even have any inkling what it is like to live on a low income? I highly doubt it, just like the majority of our politicians.

And here we have our new illustrious leader Prince Charles the 3rd who now has had not one but two tantrums over pens and married knowing full well he was in love with someone else. Morals much? This man would be rinsed on mumsnet in reality as a 'normal' person for this behaviour! But since in history most kings kept concubines and mistresses it is somehow ok?! Even tradition?! You want to hero worship him and bow and scrape to him? Be my guest! That is your right. May it be worth your time and energy.

I respect the queen as she at least appeared to have a good work ethic, but so do I and many others and noone is surprised or amazed about that 🙄 To me the royal family as it was died with the queen. It's the end of that era. And feel free to continue abusing me and swearing at me on here, it actually shows just who YOU really are! Uneducated. Meanwhile, I'm off to enjoy myself today and tomorrow whilst you mourners get on with it, that's your right. Newsflash I won't be watching it now, so bored of it and I won't be wearing black, wailing, performing self flagelation (or endless queuing) for someone I never met and who has never done anything for me as far as I'm concerned. That is also my right! Enjoy your mourning! Ta ta!👋

KING Charles the 3rd before the pedants seize on it! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Has anyone been to the Lying In State and wished they hadn't bothered?

So still "No" then.

@Purplefoxes

I haven't abused and sworn at you.

I wish I knew more about emojis.

Does 🤣🤣🤣🤣 mean anything different from 🤣?

Yes, there's a quote from a politics professor in The Guardian saying much the same and I guess that's what I'm interested in. Obviously it's not a surprise to find a coffin at the end/beginning of The Queue, but I wonder if the experience of queuing and the atmosphere in the hall is what everyone thought it would be.

Obviously on a comparably minuscule scale, but there was a tradition at our uni of students queuing overnight and camping out, to get tickets for the summer ball, which went on sale at something like 8am. Several of us thought it might be nice to go, but the queues were ridiculous, so we didn't bother.

The next day, after a lecture, I walked home past the students' union at about 10am, with the queues now all long gone, and popped in on the off-chance, walking straight up to the desk. They had loads of tickets left and informed me that they always did, every year.

I suppose we British don't have the reputation for loving to queue for no reason - and lots of people clearly see the long, long queue before as an exciting part of the whole experience when it's for a significant event (although people still complain that Aldi doesn't have a baskets-only checkout!) Either that or people don't like queuing, but do so enjoy complaining; so, like Mrs Doyle, 'perhaps they like the misery'

Either that or people don't like queuing, but do so enjoy complaining; so, like Mrs Doyle, 'perhaps they like the misery'

I'd agree with that.

But strangely I haven't anyone complain about the hours of queuing.

haven't heard

I wouldn't go. I hate being around loads of people and I can see the whole thing on TV.

I have a number of friends from different friendship groups who have gone. (Professional, middle class if relevant). No regrets from them.

I however, really regret not going.

I can empathise in terms of FOMO, I live nearby and considered going when the queue was only 6 hours, which I then thought was too long.
Now I kinda wish I had, not to see the coffin but for the reasons someone stated above; being part of something, camaraderie and community with other people, endurance achievement, being on the livestream. Also being able to be there on behalf of my mum in her 80s who lives miles away but would have liked to go.

So do I. I'm not a royalist, but I liked and respected the Queen.

Also would have liked to have gone for the atmosphere, chance to maybe see changing guards, and to see the crown, orb and sceptre.

Definitely this. I’ll never understand why it’s generally always society’s poorest who bow and scrape to the rich and privileged. Like the aforementioned would give them the time of day if the tables were turned 🤷🏻‍♀️

Two of my kids went and have said that you get a better view of the surroundings and the standard etc as you come down the stairs. Especially if you’re standing still on the stairs during the guard changing. Which may explain why some people don’t seem as focussed as you’d expect.

Brace yourself. My comment didn’t go down well 😂

Brace yourself. My comment didn’t go down well 😂

Mainly because it was incorrect.

How do you know? I said that I would hazard a guess. Whereas you state it is incorrect