Palace requests mourners to stop leaving stuff like marmalade sandwiches

[Sparklybutold]

So the palace has now told people to stop leaving marmalade sarnies and such...

Those who thought it was ok the first time still think it's ok? Or now the palace acknowledges how ‘unsustainable’ it is change your opinion?

FWIW. It was idiotic the first time and still is.

I’ll spend my own money as I choose, thank you.

And that really is all it comes down to. It's up to each individual how they spend their own money. If someone wants to buy flowers, it's not affecting anyone else.

Totally agree - I wish they had encouraged charity donations instead of flowers as is done at many funerals.

also don’t see the point in schools, workplaces etc setting up books of condolence - the palace website says they won’t accept them.

We need to drag our mourning rituals out of Victorian times.

To what end though?
I am hoping that King Charles suggests donations or even planting a tree/bulbs etc instead of laying flowers which is wasteful on such a grand scale and terrible for the environment when they’re not locally grown.

@StillWeRise

100% the whole charade is perfect PR.

I've also noticed all the carefully selected images emerging of the future King. I can't actually say ‘ours’ as he's certainly no King of mine.

As a one-off the first time, it was inspired.

Yes, I think so too. It reminds me of the whole padlock thing, where some couple (in Paris, was it?) left a little poignant symbol of their love, with the two of them locked permanently together. One little padlock down in the corner was quite sweet. Fast forward a little while and then everybody is doing it everywhere. That bridge in Bakewell nearly collapsed under the weight. I remember seeing one of them that had been engraved with (I forget the exact first two names but e.g.) 'Tom & Chloe 4 Eva' and wondered if they realised that it made them look polyamorous

So many great and witty ideas are completely spoiled when other people copy them in their thousands. If everybody does want to copy, I wonder if they still would follow suit if somebody put up a big sign saying something like "I have donated £30 to the food bank in memory of HMQ" - I mean whether they would donate, rather than just put up their own sign without giving any money....

As for setting up a specific charity, it's a nice idea in principle, but as well as the huge amount of time and resources it takes to do that, I think it would rather give the wrong impression when contrasted with the sheer amount of wealth that the RF has. I always think that, if I were a billionaire and somebody asked me to be the patron of a new charity that they wanted to set up - one which was close to my heart - I'd tell them not to bother with all of that faff and just fund it all myself.

I suppose something like the Prince's Trust is a bit different, where you're actively seeking to influence/inspire others and promote schemes rather than just asking for money to support those whom the government and/or society have failed.

To what end though?

Because I wanted to. That should be enough. It’s nobody else’s virtue signaling business.

How is it virtue signalling to anonymously criticise you buying flowers?

Can't see the issue with flowers, but I can see the issue with people leaving Paddington Bears that can not be recycled.

How am I virtue signalling? I think laying flowers is virtue signalling and ridiculous when you see the sea of flowers which are going to cause a massive headache to clear up!

I agree wholeheartedly. I really don’t understand why people do this - it’s such a waste, and they look so awful after a few days, especially if they still have cellophane wrappings on them.

It was an utterly stupid thing to do the first time and of course, the 'me too' followers have to follow. It's pathetic and most definitely has nothing to do with 'paying respects' however hard some bleat about it.

I doubt that a request to donate to charity instead would achieve much because the type of person who leaves plastic wrappings is not the type to donate to charity, they must be visible and a quiet donation won't give them the 'feels'. I know there are a cohort who will say that 'it's not mutually exclusive' but it is, it really is.

Seeing all that mess is just infuriating. It's so unnecessary and is going to take time and money to clear. Well done, sheep.

How am I virtue signalling? I think laying flowers is virtue signalling and ridiculous when you see the sea of flowers which are going to cause a massive headache to clear up!

Is it really though? Pretty sure it was anticipated.

For people who live alone, people who don’t have any loving family, people who have judgemental family etc etc etc, the background hum of constancy, ritual and values of public figures like the Queen can be very important. The death of a public figure can also give a permission for unresolved grief to come out. Feelings that are repressed can easily escape at tangents years later, so people’s grief may not always be directly about the Queen but more about things that they weren’t able or allowed to express in other areas of their lives - possibly because of being surrounded with people with views such as yours at the time. People may not be fully educated or aware of the reasons for their emotional processes but it doesn’t follow that they’re ‘batshit’.

Maybe the fact that it is on offer at Waitrose at the moment for £1.80, when it is usually £2.90?

Then again, Duchy Organic Seville Orange Marmalade is also currently down from £2.00 to £1.60.

She did one clip with Paddington bear and suddenly she is permanently associated with him? It's a bit weird tbh, It's like when you mention you like frogs in passing and then for years everyone buys you frog-related items for birthdays and Christmas.
As for the pictures of Paddington as the grim reaper ushering her onto the next life. Just find it a bit of a weird take.

They have asked people to remove plastic wrappings and consider the sorts of tributes they leave. On the Royal Parks website:

What form of floral tributes are acceptable?
Any form of floral tribute is acceptable. In the interests of sustainability, we ask visitors to only lay organic or compostable material. The public will be asked to remove all wrapping from floral tributes and place these in the bins provided. Removing the wrapping will aid the longevity of the flowers and will assist in subsequent composting which will start between one week and a fortnight after the date of the funeral.

Can I bring cards and artefacts, e.g. teddies and gifts?
We would prefer visitors not to bring non-floral objects/artefacts such as teddy bears or balloons. Cards and labels will, however, be accepted and will be periodically removed by The Royal Parks’ staff and contractors for storage offsite. This process will be carried out with discretion and sensitivity.
Visitors are asked not to leave artefacts in any other areas of the parks.

Can I light a candle?
It will not be possible to light candles in the parks. Lit candles will be extinguished and periodically removed.

www.royalparks.org.uk/ceremonial/floral-tributes-in-the-royal-parks

There was a huge bunfight of a thread about the flowers some days ago.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4629856-if-youre-going-to-buckingham-palace-to-lay-flowers?page=1

People saying the flowers were expensive and wasteful getting told they weren't allowed tell people what to do, by people telling them what to do.

It was an utterly stupid thing to do the first time and of course, the 'me too' followers have to follow. It's pathetic and most definitely has nothing to do with 'paying respects' however hard some bleat about

Bat shit, performative, pathetic, sheep, virtue signalling,

Why don't you just say " the plebs, shouldn't be allowed " and have done with it.

I agree with the previous poster who said there should have been donation boxes or food bank donating areas set up.

I wish the palace would set up a memorial fund for HMQ that people could donate to instead of all this money "wasted" on flowers that will only be sent off for composting when they've gone off.

Then that could be distributed to charities, perhaps the ones she was involved with or dear to her heart. I'm sure millions might be raised if they did that. A bunch of flowers isn't that cheap to buy...

Yes, that's exactly what it's like. Poor Paddington he didn't ask for any of this.

I absolutely agree

People saying the flowers were expensive and wasteful getting told they weren't allowed tell people what to do, by people telling them what to do.

That was a lot of me on that thread @Sparklingbrook and no I don't think you l've summed that up correctly. Though it serves your purpose.

But there we are .

Personally I don't feel any particular sadness about the death of the queen, but I recognise that many people feel differently.

I think the act of laying tribute in grief goes very deep in our culture. It was completely and utterly predictable that this would happen and it seems a pity that there wasn't a plan in place that would enable people to fulfil their need to place a physical tribute in a way that could be a force for good. Mass foodbank donation etc. Clearly this would need logistical planning but it isn't like they haven't had the time or resources to plan it.

I thought a Just Giving page for various charities would have been better. That, and a slice of the inheritance tax they should be paying!

Then again, Duchy Organic Seville Orange Marmalade is also currently down from £2.00 to £1.60.

😁