To consider going to stand on the Mall on Monday 19th

[Byebyebigbelly]

Fully prepared to be told this is madness but thinking about taking ds10 and dd12. We live very near London. Do you think that it's pointless unless we're prepared to camp out from the night before? (we aren't!)

Not pointless but might be disappointing, there will certainly be people who have camped out all night in front of you. It’s a choice between being there in person and actually seeing what goes on on the TV!

Don't be ridiculous.

You presumably didn't know the woman so why bother?

Because the Op has a sense of history and tradition. ( ‘The woman’ , wow, dissing the dead is not a very good look, btw)

You won't see a thing. People will start camping out pretty soon and you'll be way back from the Mall. Plus there will be thousands of people and I mean thousands, if not tens of thousands. Stay in and watch it on TV,.

It's not UR but it's going to be rammed, probably raining, pretty boring for a very long time- and you likely won't have a great view anyway!

Don't you sound like a truly wonderful and warm person. Such a shame I don't know you.

What do you want to get out of doing this? I think it is unusual to do this unless a very enthusiastic monarchist.

I'd imagine it's a logistical nightmare, even without taking DC. Food/drinks/toilets/weather/exceedingly long day with nothing happening plus the crowds. I'd hate it as an adult, let alone as a child.

Make a special occasion of it for your DC in front of the TV. Talk about the Queen’s life and the work of a monarch etc and compare her to previous monarchs, good and bad. Have a picnic lunch etc — something a bit different. Your DC are more likely to remember this than standing in the rain behind a crowd of adults, feeling bored and saying they can’t see.
I watched the ceremony marking the declaration of Charles as King and really enjoyed

seeing the magnificent uniforms, heraldic trumpets etc etc. The realisation that the event would have looked much the same in the accessions since Elizabeth I was moving for one who loves history. We are paying for all the pageantry etc so we might as well watch it and appreciate it — it’s what we Brits have a reputation for being good at . (And not much else now, I’m afraid)

Oops lost part of the message there: Food/drinks/toilets/weather/exceedingly long day with nothing happening for the majority of the time

Why not? I think if you're so inclined it's worth doing this type of thing at least once in your life.

I did this with one of the jubilee processions. I was to an extent persuaded against my will to go and thought it would be dreadfully boring, but actually it wasn't. There was a lovely atmosphere all day, people co-operated with each other in terms of things like keeping places when loo breaks were needed, and we cheered anything and everything including the cops and bloke sweeping the road. Yes, we only caught a fairly brief glimpse of the procession going by slowly in both directions, but all in all I've always been glad I did it.

@Acis, I agree that the atmosphere might be enjoyed by an adult but that will surely be above the heads ( literally, lol) of the PP’s DC unless they are older teenagers.