Would you be sad if the Queen died?

[icantchoosejustone]

I've just been reading the thread about Prince Phillip going into hospital and a poster said they wouldn't be sad if the Queen passed, as she doesn't actually know who we are.

I'm not a royalist by any means and I don't know how I'd feel if the news broke that she died.

How would you feel?

She's had a very long innings & privileged full life. What is there to be sad about?

I wouldn’t feel sad at all - I don’t know her and she’s lived much longer than most people could expect to so it would hardly be tragic.

Honestly I’d probably feel a slight sense of excitement when I heard the news because it would mean a big change which would be interesting to see and hopefully she would die in the week so maybe we’d get a few days off work as well.

If she survives Phil the Greek, I'd say she will abdicate and enjoy the rest of her time with a new lease of life.

There is nothing she can do about Charles becoming King anyway so she may as well go while she still has some quality of life left. Doubt she will have to survive on a State Pension either!

I won't be sad, I won't be glad whenever she passes on, it is the cycle of life. Not very keen on Charlie the Lad though, but nowt I can do about that if he survives her.

She's devoted her life to her duty and is an example to us all.

Really? Her whole life has been nothing but duty and sacrifice? Hardly. All her duties have involved is popping here and there, shaking hands with the odd person and waving oh, and making the odd speech, from time to time. Hardly onerous work. She didn't even have to bring up her own children.

She's led a very nice life, thank you, with her horses and her dogs and every conceivable luxury and comfort, unlike a very large percentage of other old people in this country whose duties involved working all their lives and now can't afford to heat their homes as they struggle on the pittance that is their pension.

And how exactly is she an example to us all? What does that mean?

An example of how to be a rich, spoilt woman? How to live to be very old?

I don't think I'll be sad. All I can think of is wouldn't it be nice if we could all receive the same level of medical care that the royal family have so we can all live a nice long life.

No

No way. I can’t understand why Ordinary people would be crying. She doesn’t know or give a shite about you.

I'm no royalist, but I probably would feel a bit sad. She's been part of the context and background to my life since I can remember, so it would feel like the end of an era. Her face is on all the money and stamps! Everyone knows who she is, what she looks like (though I did get a bit of a shock when I saw her on the news last week, so tiny and snowy-haired)

However I do think the monarchy is a bit ridiculous - a silly and expensive dress up game that's been going on too long, much like the structures of organised religion: all that pomp and circumstance. It feels increasingly irrelevant to me. But on the other hand, in terms of symbols we all recognise and that bring people together in some way, I'm not sure what can replace them.

Yes

Yes I would. I am not a royalist and would prefer to live in a republic but she has been a superb ambassador for the country and has worked hard under press scrutiny for her whole life. I would hate to have her role. I am also rather fond of Philip.

The rest of the royals I could not give a fig about.

Yes a sort of sadness as she has always been around

I feel a warmth towards her when I see her on TV and though I feel the monarchy needs to change after she dies I respect her for upholding her duties

I think the country will go into mourning along he lines of when Diana died (maybe not the hysteria) as it really will feel like an end of an era

Yes I agree with your end of an era comment. She has been there for so long - a constant when everything else has been in flux.

I'll be annoyed that we'll get that pillock of her son as a King. And I'll be annoyed because it will be wall to wall royal stuff for ages and ages.

But I will get a new Coronation Mug to add to my collection so not all bad.

I don’t do vicarious grief, so I would not be saddened by the death of someone I have never met.

It would, however be interesting to observe the process of the transition of the Monarchy to Charles or William. Most people, including me, are too young to remember the last time it happened. The ‘London Bridge’ article in the Guardian a few years ago was fascinating.

...a constant when everything else has been in flux.

And you don’t see a problem with the Queen never having to deal with ordinary people’s problems, or ‘flux’ as you call it?

By flux I meant things liks WW2, all the changes of PM that she has seen in and out etc etc. She is a figurehead to many people.

I suspect that she may not have what you label 'ordinary people's problems' but I am sure that she has problems of her own. Everybody does.

No

By flux I mean things like WW2,

You do know she wasn't the Queen during WW2, don't you?

I will be sad. Not wailing and gnashing my teeth á la the Diana mourners, but sad, yes.

The Queen is a huge point of stability, and the world needs that more than ever now.

I feel like when she passes away, it will lead into a period of even greater uncertainty.

I'm probably worrying unnecessarily....

P.S. I think people get confused because her first Prime Minister was Winston Churchill, and people associate him heavily with WWII.

I’m not a royalist but I will be sad when she dies. She has been a constant throughout my life. My mother loves the Queen and she will be very sad which will also make me sad.

She’s a sign of stability in an ever changing world and seems like a nice person. I also think Prince Charles will be a good monarch, he was into environmental stuff before many people for example. Not sure about William though.

Not so much sad but think the monarchy should probably end with her.
I think she's an amazing lady but it's had its time and now there are so many other options available to the people that a reigning monarchy isn't necessary anymore when perhaps once it had its use and a time and place.

Yes I would be sad.

and now there are so many other options available to the people

Like what?

I don't think there actually are all that many options.

And of the few alternatives that exist, are they actually any better?

No feelings one way or the other tbh. I will feel sorry for her family - never fun when a loved one dies.

I hope to see the monarchy abolished in my lifetime.

A bit sad probably, same as I feel when I hear of anyone dying really.