To go to London for the state funeral?

[Tiggythetiger]

DD (16 years old) has asked if we can travel
down to London as she wants to pay her
respects. Obviously she knows she would be part
of a crowd so to speak and not inside the funeral
itself. DH is saying "it's not safe" due to the
amount of people who would be there. Obviously
I would be with DD, it wouldn't be her there alone

[Commonhealthgames]

I took my kids to Notting hill carnival where there were (what felt like) a million people jumping and dancing to music. We had a fab time. This will be much more subdued and using more open space. Go be part of history.

[Hawkins001]

You only have to watch the tv show spooks for some examples of different types of risks at various points for different reasons.

[itispersonal]

What about going tomorrow to observe the coffin going up with The Mall to Westminster abbey, which is a silent procession with guards etc and the royal family following. Apparently this starts at 14.22 on Wednesday.

[Frazzled2207]

I’d go with her but would manage her expectations that she might not actually see anything at all.

rubbish that it “won’t be safe”. Though. The crowd looks to be virtually 100% well behaved.

[nachoavocado]

@Hawkins001

I'm sure all the relevant, security services will be all over the event, but at the same time, it would be a prime hot spot, for security risks.

Yes I agree with this.

[Tiggythetiger]

@itispersonal

What about going tomorrow to observe the coffin going up with The Mall to Westminster abbey, which is a silent procession with guards etc and the royal family following. Apparently this starts at 14.22 on Wednesday.

we are from up north though near Manchester and she’s in college today

[Hawkins001]

@Frazzled2207

I’d go with her but would manage her expectations that she might not actually see anything at all.

rubbish that it “won’t be safe”. Though. The crowd looks to be virtually 100% well behaved.

Shows like spooks show, what appears and what actually happens can be two different perspectives.

[Allchangeonceagain]

Your DH is being a massive worry wort thinking your 16 year old won’t be safe with you. What does he think will happen? It might be a tiring rubbish experience or it might be brilliant but I can’t see why it would be unsafe. If your DD really wants to go I think you should take her, with the proviso that you might end up seeing nothing!

[JoanOgden]

I think it will be very safe, possibly the biggest policing operation of recent times! The only risks are pickpockets and losing each other in the crowd. I'd be inclined to do it if she is so keen, you may not be able to see much but it will be an experience. My grandfather used to reminisce about going up to London for the Coronation with my aunt, it was a bit of family history.

[SleeplessInEngland]

@Commonhealthgames

I took my kids to Notting hill carnival where there were (what felt like) a million people jumping and dancing to music. We had a fab time. This will be much more subdued and using more open space. Go be part of history.

iSpace-wise It won’t be anything like carnival. It’ll be way more people all clamouring to see something at a single point in time.

[Hawkins001]

As they say, the opposite side only needs to be successful once, as such there is no such thing as 100% safe.

[Snowiscold]

I too think it will be very safe. Safety would be the least of my concerns -in fact, it wouldn’t be a concern at all.

[1Wanda1]

I'm sure it will be a COVID superspreading event, given the hoardes of people descending on London from all over the world.

[Tiggythetiger]

@Allchangeonceagain

Your DH is being a massive worry wort thinking your 16 year old won’t be safe with you. What does he think will happen? It might be a tiring rubbish experience or it might be brilliant but I can’t see why it would be unsafe. If your DD really wants to go I think you should take her, with the proviso that you might end up seeing nothing!

This what I’ll probably end up doing, agreeing to take her and hoping we see something

[RedRosie]

It will be perfectly safe. But very, very busy. Historic though, and I totally understand why people want to come. For those of us that live here it's going to be a challenge getting to the office and back from Wednesday onwards!

[MsTSwift]

The post about watching spooks for info I what could happen is hilarious! Was it a joke?!

[Tiggythetiger]

It’s either go for the day of the state funeral or go and queue up for hours and hours to see the Queen Lay in state

[sm40]

It will be busy, you might not see anything but you might just be happy being there.
As the safety, been to the palace twice this week and feels very safe. Everyone is very respectful. There are loads of police who seem to be standing around having a good natter as everyone is being very calm.
Just plan your routes, walk from any mainline stations if possible and be prepared to queue.

[Angelinflipflops]

Of course you should go if she wants to, I'm sure it will a day she never forgets

[KatherineJaneway]

It will be as safe as it can be but you both need to be prepared not to see a lot unless you camp out or manage to nab a vantage point that everyone else has missed.

[Snowpatrolling]

We are avoiding g up Saturday to see her lying in state; the funeral I will be working so will watch from home. I’d love to go on Monday but it’s going to be heaving!!
but I’d say if your going together go for it, really is a piece of history that a lot of us won’t be alive for again.

[Kinsters]

I'd go if one of the DC wanted to even though I think it would be better to watch on TV, I'm sure she'd appreciate it. Does she have any friends who'd like to go too? That'd take the pressure off you to entertain her somewhat. I'd be booking an open return though and scouting out some alternative things to do so you could bail in case it was rubbish (bearing in mind a lot of things may be closed).

[Kissingfrogs25]

We are going. I went to Diana's funeral. It was extremely moving and I was so pleased to pay my respects.

It will be organised well, the UK can mange big state events very well. Choose a spot that is less likely to be busy - check out the procession and stay away from the abbey area. You will be fine, so will she.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I shouldn't think it's risky, I think the main issues will be in not being able to move around and not being able to find a loo easily that doesn't have enormous queues. They are putting up portaloos, but they'd need an awful lot! I'm not sure she will see anything, but sometimes just being there is enough for people.

If they are saying a million people, then that's actually not too bad, London can cope with that, with the obvious transport challenges. 750,000-million attended the stop the war 2003 protest and it was manageable.

[SquirmOfEels]

Your DH is wrong about safety in the crowd - that'll be fine.

The queue for the lying-in-state has already begun (first campers last night). Not sure what it's like on the route from the Palace of Westminster to the Abbey so far - I expect there might still be room but you may be towards the back.

Even less sure about courtege's route from the Abbey to Windsor Castle - it's much longer, so once past the cental London landmarks it might be easier to see the coffin in the hearse.

But if you want to be part of the crowd in the centre, how soon can you get there?