AIBU to think the RHS didn't need to close immediately and boot everyone out as a mark of respect?

[SurreyMumOfOne]

As a mark of respect to Prince Philip, the RHS have decided to close all of their gardens immediately today. Any people already inside have been herded out. Tickets are incredibly difficult to get hold of because they are so limited at the moment. There are reports on social media of families using it as a place to meet (as permitted) who haven't seen each other for a year now having to leave; no covid safe measures at the exit; traffic tailbacks as people arriving are being turned immediately away. Lots of upset and confusion.

They have also said they will close on the day of the funeral and I have no issue with this.

AIBU to think this is an ill thought through and unnecessary move? Surely there are better ways to show respect? What about respect for the visitors?

@MarshaBradyo @StealthPolarBear Was feeling so sorry for poor Gideon Coe having to play that stuff. Have now resorted to watching Peppa with DD - an oasis of sanity in comparison!

Utterly weird. Well done RHS, you’ve managed to completely dishonour the Duke of Edinburgh. He’d think you were a load of numpties!

Remind me not to plan anything when it looks like the Queen is fading. Can you imagine it being just when we've got back to normal and able to have holidays, and they go and close all airports, stations etc for a week? It's going to be painful.

@saraclara

Remind me not to plan anything when it looks like the Queen is fading. Can you imagine it being just when we've got back to normal and able to have holidays, and they go and close all airports, stations etc for a week? It's going to be painful.

Will they do that, for a week!??

A very stupid decision, I feel sorry for everyone let down today. Not sure how it ‘shows respect’ closing the place, just bizarre.

@Enidblyton1

Utterly weird. Well done RHS, you’ve managed to completely dishonour the Duke of Edinburgh. He’d think you were a load of numpties!

He absolutely would have hated this kind of tribute and would have had some kind of witty/borderline rude comment to make about it too.

A 99 year old has died! It is neither unexpected nor sad! He had an amazing life there is nothing sad about 99 yrs of fun wealth and privilege

Exiled as a baby in an orange box, parents divorced and mother in mental institution, older sister and family dying in plane crash, saw combat in WW2, forced to abandon career he lived to support the Queen. Yep, life absolute bed of roses .

I was there today. They said it was a mark of respect as the queen is one of their patrons. The exit was as smooth as anyone could have made it and the staff were amazing. They are giving refunds and another time slot to those that were there today. Hats off to them I say (and it was probably a decision out of their control)

Absolutely ridiculous! Have just seen on Twitter that they will be contacting and refunding people who had to leave, but what an unbelievable mess they made of it.

Privileged old person dies and the peasants who have had to suffer the most continue to suffer. What else is new.

haha! I don't consider myself a peasant, thanks very much! ;)

The lady that asked us to leave Hyde Hall says it’s part of their protocol when a senior royal dies. Maybe they will change it after this.

@Squiz81

The lady that asked us to leave Hyde Hall says it’s part of their protocol when a senior royal dies. Maybe they will change it after this.

I hope so as its DEEPLY out of kilter with the world today and with a family who always love their gardens

@LakieLady

I shudder to think how OTT Operation London Bridge will be when HMQ goes. Will the police be sent round to check we're all in mourning in our homes?

Yes, you'll have to keep your curtains closed until after the funeral, only play solemn music, put black armbands on all your pets and laughing and jollity will be banned throughout the period between her death and the interment.

You joke, but we are in a parish of three churches, and one of them has already produced black armbands for the congregation* (apparently one of the churchwardens has been preparing for this sad day for some time.) They have a flag at half mast, and are ringing the bells 99 times on Sunday

We have no armbands (because it never occurred to any of us to make this into a competition), our church has no flagpole, so we aren't able to half-hoist a flag, and our bellringer is roughly 180, and certainly won't be ringing the bell 99 times, though if he is able to get to church on Sunday I don't doubt we'll have a funeral peal.

Obviously, there is no rivalry between us . . .

*unfortunately not for our pets - a great opportunity missed

I think the clue is in the name?
Surely, not closing would have been seen as disrespectful in that context.

@mineofuselessinformation

I think the clue is in the name? Surely, not closing would have been seen as disrespectful in that context.

So should the RSPCA have shut its rehoming centres and the RSPB shut its reserves and the Royal Parks have closed

The RHS is a charity with paying members and visitors
it has no other connection with the family

@mineofuselessinformation

I think the clue is in the name? Surely, not closing would have been seen as disrespectful in that context.

I thought it was their garden but it's not aparantly

I feel a bit sorry for the Queen, but he was 99 FGS! The media overreaction is ludicrous, and the RHS actions misjudged

I was meant to be at Wisley today for the Easter Egg hunt with my children and meeting their cousins there this afternoon, didn't even think to check it would be open. No email before or since (had 2.30 tickets) and although only 30 minute drive for us a complete waste of time and petrol. We arrived queued off the A3 were herded back onto the A3 through the car park entrance. I am a member so no refund but I can't imagine Prince Philip would have wanted children saying why couldn't he have died tomorrow No chance in getting back before the Easter Egg trail closes so feeling v annoyed.

@mineofuselessinformation

I think the clue is in the name? Surely, not closing would have been seen as disrespectful in that context.

I don’t understand how it is ‘respectful’ to force other people to have to abandon their days out. If the management wanted to show ‘respect’ then surely that’s something for them to do rather than massively inconveniencing their visitors. It was a very high handed thing and unkind thing to do. Whoever makes these decisions in the RHS is really out of touch. Think of all the thousands of people who have died before their time this year. Id find it disrespectful to them if people/media/organizations go overboard mourning the death of a 99 year old that undoubtedly had the best medical treatment possible.

Ridiculous. Wankers

YANBU, that is beyond ridiculous

FWIW, I don't mind the change to the TV schedules and radio programmes. I think in specific situations of national interest (trying to avoid a pro/against Royal Family debate as there are enough other threads on that, so going with the assumption that this does warrant respect and specific attention) then it's appropriate.

What I struggle with in regards to the RHS decision is the removal of the lack of personal choice i.e. people could have chosen to quietly leave, find an alternative way to pay their respects or carry on as normal. And the organisation as a whole could have done something else - staff with black armbands, silences, and indeed close for the funeral with advance notice.

It feels like a decision very out of touch with current society, and I agree with pp it feels more about virtue signalling than actually being respectful.

@SurreyMumOfOne

FWIW, I don't mind the change to the TV schedules and radio programmes.

Considering I have to pay the BBC TV licence I think it's outrageous that it's on both BBC 1 and BBC 2.

For anyone else who feels the BBC coverage is now rather excessive after the peaceful death of a 99 year old, they have now set up a dedicated complaints page:
www.bbc.co.uk/contact/death-duke-of-edinburgh-tv-coverage/#/Notificationpage: