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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to finally share this secret!

343 replies

hereforever · 14/09/2022 09:40

Name changed as potentially identifying, but been here forever.

Many years ago (deliberately being vague but 10+ years ago) my dh came home from work and said he has a massive secret to tell me, that I couldn't tell another soul.....that his company was designing and building the Queen's Hearse. The business is just a small family-run firm based in the North, and whilst they had been making Jaguar hearses for years this was totally unexpected.
The whole team worked really hard on it and it was built with the utmost secrecy and respect, kept hidden until now - very few people even knew it existed (it's been hard sometimes not sharing with family).

I'm having mixed emotions since we saw it on tv last night - as I want to shout from the rooftops how proud I am of DH and the team but so far this is the only place I've shared as I don't want to look crass in what is a very sad time for our country.

So AIBU to finally share this secret and whilst it is very sad, also be very honoured to be part of our Queen's final journey.

to finally share this secret!
OP posts:
Georgeskitchen · 14/09/2022 13:11

InPraiseOfBacchus · 14/09/2022 12:43

William Purves? Yes, shame they left the sticker in the window for half the journey!

(Not that it bothered me, but it must have bothered some people as it was removed halfway through the drive)

They removed it because their website had so many hits that it crashed. That's all. Nothing sinister about it

ApricotCrush · 14/09/2022 13:11

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Don’t be ridiculous. OP’s husband’s firm is named online and there is a video showing how they make the hearses.

It is beautiful OP, you are right to be proud of the part your husband has played in this sad event.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/09/2022 13:12

goodbyestranger · 14/09/2022 11:07

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination my personal view only, but the fact that the hearse was little up like a dodgems attraction at a funfair seemed to me to be deeply grisly. I think it's a very bad taste hearse, tbh. That isn't altered by the slightly weird fact that the Queen appears to have spent months of her life across several years masterminding the grand trappings of her demise, money no object of course.

She was the Queen FFS, of course it was planned for years. What did you expect, Charles nips down the local funeral director and arranges it from scratch?

Georgeskitchen · 14/09/2022 13:12

*website crashed, not the hearse, obviously 😉

Marvellousmadness · 14/09/2022 13:13

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ScarlettnotOHara · 14/09/2022 13:15

It’s amazing , well done to your husband and his team ! It’s not just a car, it’s a specially designed one which probably took a lot of skill and time ! We were reading about this last night, not sure it’s true but read the Queen had an input . She wanted her coffin to be as visible as possible.

Pengwinn · 14/09/2022 13:15

I wouldn't have noticed it was any different to a regular hearse to be honest, but that's great they used a small company and that the queen had a hand in designing it. I can only imagine the work that went into it.

Lipsandlashes · 14/09/2022 13:23

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ChipsRoastOrBoiled · 14/09/2022 13:26

Jeez, there are some right misery guts on here.

OP, your husband and everyone involved have done HM proud. The design & build of the hearse have meant that The Queen could carry on her wish to be seen by as many people as possible, to the last.

shockthemonkey · 14/09/2022 13:27

It's lovely. You're right to be proud. Ignore all the chip-pissers

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 14/09/2022 13:28

@JoeyThePrawn Grin

W0tnow · 14/09/2022 13:28

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Doubt it. She didn’t make it.

Spinninggyro · 14/09/2022 13:29

Why so much nastiness on here? The OP has not shared a state secret but is justifiably proud of her husband’s involvement.

The hearse is a beautifully engineered vehicle and I’m pretty sure the queen will have approved it. It can be used for other royal funerals (Hopefully not too soon)and will last for many years.

PipinwasAuntieMabelsdog · 14/09/2022 13:30

W0tnow · 14/09/2022 13:28

Doubt it. She didn’t make it.

Show quote history

That's why the thread is peculiar and in poor taste!

10HailMarys · 14/09/2022 13:32

ThirtyThreeTrees · 14/09/2022 13:02

Perplexed as to why you think it was a good idea to start a thread on this and what your husband things of it.

A lot of people, including me, wouldn't want to do business with someone whose wife posts on social media about it.

The name of the company has already been released; this sort of thing is in the public domain. The OP hasn't revealed anything sensitive or secret.

NeckFanInSoftPlay · 14/09/2022 13:33

What are you trying to gain from this thread?

TollgateDebs · 14/09/2022 13:33

Good to hear that a British firm still has the ability to coachbuild and they should be proud of their part in our Nation's traditions.

arthurfowlermood · 14/09/2022 13:34

I am not into the royals at all, won't be watching the funeral, can't say I am very sad that the queen is gone, she had a long life. I think the hysteria is ridiculous.

But I even think this is cool.

NeckFanInSoftPlay · 14/09/2022 13:37

hereforever · 14/09/2022 10:03

People asking how it's different and saying it's just a normal car.....

Have you ever tried chopping a car in half and then putting it back together to make it look like a hearse and not a car?!!

It's an incredibly long and tedious process at the best of times, let alone when doing one full handbuilt and a unique design.

It's been built almost fully out of glass, which had never been done before, to allow maximum exposure and light, and the lighting installed inside, I seem to recall it's all reinforced glass and body work too (will check with dh later) as I presume it must have to be bullet proof etc.

The gearboxes aren't normally changed, as the cars are automatic anyway - but again will check with dh on his lunch break.

Thanks again everyone for allowing me to share and for the kind words - dh has worked there for over 30 years and will be retiring in the next 10 years so this will be the honour & highlight of his working life :)

Well no, nobody will have done that as it's illegal to chop cars in half and weld them together!

At the end of the day, somebody had to build it. My relative hand sewed both the standard flags adorning the coffin (along with all of the royal flags, inc the small ones on their vehicles and the one at half mast at Windsor) but it's not something the Royal Household wanted shouting about as it's not about claims to fame or marketing it's about giving HRH the very best send off.....Hmm

Cherry55 · 14/09/2022 13:39

Interesting about the bespoke build. However I'm struggling to see the notable design difference between this and a standard modern hearse to warrant the cost and time I'm sure was involved.

madasawethen · 14/09/2022 13:39

Well done to your DH and colleagues. I always wondered about things like that. It is perfect in every way; it's design and craftsmanship.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/09/2022 13:42

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I feel sorry for their husbands and families. Imagine being married to or the child of someone who has no pride in anything you do.

PipinwasAuntieMabelsdog · 14/09/2022 13:49

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/09/2022 13:42

I feel sorry for their husbands and families. Imagine being married to or the child of someone who has no pride in anything you do.

Show quote history

Having pride privately and sharing it as a family element of history ie, 'Great grandad built/designed x,y,z' or saying: 'Well done on drawing such a brilliant guinea pig picture at school darling,' is totally different from the OP claiming that they had a hand in the Queen's final journey and telling strangers on the internet. Their Husband did, they did not. My Dh is involved in creating new medical appliances etc. I don't say, 'I have a hand in making the lives of people with diabetes easier' to people. I do say however, 'Well done on securing that grant love!'

Han99 · 14/09/2022 13:49

Fraine · 14/09/2022 09:44

I mean, I know it's a hearse, but at the end of the day, it just a car. Confused

You made you're point the first time you posted this didn't you??

LadyTmalia · 14/09/2022 13:50

Im not sure if this has been asked already as I am only following the OPS posts...
The hood ornament - was this part of your DH's work on the car? Did the queen design that herself?