To think that the people queing yesterday to see Richard III's coffin are seriously weird?

[ssd]

the whole thing is way weirder than just liking the royal family, one old guy nearly 80 said its the most important thing to happen in his lifetime

WTAF???

whats wrong with some people??

Flew in from Brazil or Bracknell?

Anyway, I'm surprised there's been no statement from Buckingham palace about the whole event bearing in mind the historical significance as a sovereign. It's a bit like dead person plotting treason

I always admire passion. Where would we be without people who were obsessed with unusual things - whether it be history, music, art or science?

As for the murder of the princes - my money is on Margaret Beaufort.

It's really interesting to me, we're going to Leicester on Friday for the tail end of the celebration week. I liked the way they read the prayer that he had specified he wanted for his funeral and he actually got it 500 years later. Also he was buried as a catholic because the Church of England didn't exist back then. The organisers thought of everything!

I think it's awesome. I want to go! I just like being a weirdy looky-loo.

The Queen has sent a message to be read at the re-interment on Thursday. HRH Duke of Gloucester is involved with the society. I think they bagged him because his name is also Richard and Richard III was previously Duke of Gloucester. So he couldn't really say no

LadyGregory that's really sweet! It will be a story you can tell him when he's older.

I watched the documentary when they found him. They pretty much proved that while he had a physical deformity, it wouldn't have been noticeable under clothing. He didn't have a gammy arm or a limp either.

People queuing for hours One Direction tickets are weird.
People flying all over the world to watch sporting events are weird.
People who travel to other continents to take part in cultural events such as the Rio carnival, the running of the bulls, Mardi Gras etc are weird
People who go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights are weird.

Or, none of them are weird, they just have different levels of interest and willingness to travel for events which they find fascinating/entertaining/enlightening.

this thread just proves the point, one mans weird is another mans normal!

There are also people who fly all over the world to watch solar eclipses. Or royal weddings. All kinds of things.

true enough

She was probably too busy queuing for One-D tickets

cocobear actully the queen isnt really a relitive (ok not any more so then most old noble families anyway) but the queens direct anscetors usuprered the throne from Richard 3

It is totally weird, but then I thought all those people lining the streets for Princess Di's funeral were nutters!

It's not that I think they're weird - I just find it baffling. I just don't get it.
But it'd be a dull world if we all thought alike.

I live in Leicester and yesterday was beginning to think I was the only person who wasn't very interested. My facebook news feed is full of photos of the event, people taking their young kids to view the coffin straight from school etc then queing for hours to get into the cathederal, excited colleuages talking about being on the local ews etc. My workplace has King Richard memorabilia / pictures etc up. I jst can't appreciate what all the fuss is about.

I find it utterly fascinating. If you'd have told me ten years ago I'd be watching the funeral of Richard III I'd have thought you batshit.
It's completely unique, a once in a lifetime event and a little bit of middle ages history touching our very modern lives.

I am not a fan of any royal family, being Irish and happy to have been brought up in a republic, but I would have gone, and waited for hours, and thrown a flower ( at LadyGregory's DS).

If things had turned out differently he would have had a proper funeral at the time of his death. I think it was very moving to see how many people were interested enough in history (which is my main interest in the whole thing) to pay their respects to someone who was once a king (for better or for worse) and who lay forgotten under a carpark for so long. I was really pleased to see that details such as a Catholic requiem and his own chosen prayer were observed. Maybe what would have moved me therefore was that this was a chance to right a wrong from history.

Not that I care much about them or anything, but I think the Battenburg-Windsors should have sent a representative.

yyy, SistersOfPercy. Almost like time travel.

The queen is descended from Richard's father, Richard of York. Henry Tudor married Richard of York's granddaughter so it's still the same family line.

TBF - I bet a lot of people in the UK are descended down the family line. It was a long time ago.

I heard a thing on Radio 4 about him a couple of weeks ago. There was an academic who said that compared to other kings, who were seen historically as "good kings" he enacted far more laws that helped ordinary people in the short space of time he actually ruled.

Shakespeare's play is lot of fun - Richard is a delightfully evil villain - but you can't assume it's historically accurate.

I was particularly touched by the fact they put 'white' flowers on his coffin, symbolising the house of Tudor! that made me well up a bit.

Perhaps the queen felt her nose put out of joint a bit, with all this attention, i almost expected her to turn up at the procession, Charles and family in tow demanding to know what the heck everyone thought they were doing

I admit I laughed when I saw a relative of mine on TV standing in the queue. A notoriously barking mad one. they're probably all a similar breed.