to finally share this secret!

[hereforever]

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.

@nachoavocado hate to break it to you but the Queen is dead. She isn't likely to be shot anytime. @EbbyEbs I don't think lead lined coffins carrying the deceased are targets for anyone.
Shooting out drivers of the hearse really is not a major security alert.

Lead lined coffins are for delaying decomposition of the body

😂😂😂😂I'm done with MN for the day...I'm logging out now.

I have to say so what? And your 'excitement' is in very poor taste.

No it's not, it's a hearse - and if you can't tell the difference, your family should maybe pop you into the back of a Micra when your time comes. Congratulations to your husband OP.

That's a great story OP.

Well done for keeping it a secret for so long

Are you joking? You don’t think someone shooting at the hearse and possibly killing the driver or putting bullet holes in the Queen’s coffin is worthy of a security alert? Ok then 😂

Just to share our complete and utter respect for your husbands work.

We knew it would have been converted by coachbuilders and the skill involved was evident when we first saw it.

Well done to your hubby and the team who created it. I thought it looked amazing when I saw it last night.

Ignore the doom and gloom mob comments, some folk just just revel in being miserable bastards

@NeckFanInSoftPlay yes that's right. But it also means shooting at it would be pointless. Terrorist stent known for attacking coffins

@NancyDrooo what I mean is, coffins are not targets for terrorist. When was the last time you heard about terrorist attacks by shooting coffins? There have been attacks on funeral gatherings but that is to target people. Shooting coffins is literally not a thing

So what if she does? Are people not allowed to share stuff they’re proud of anymore?

Makes a change from “My DS had a shit on his potty today instead of on the floor, I’m so proud” posts

Congratulations to your dh, OP! I’d be proud of him, too.
Ignore any nastiness. I swear some people only join forums in order to have a safe, anonymous, nasty dig at other people. They are pathetic.

Your DH has every reason to be proud.
I was very moved when I saw how clearly visible she was.illuminated and Panoramic( if that's the right word)
She's modest by nature and clearly thought of her people

@hereforever
Your husband & colleagues did a great job! You're right to be very proud.
Not RTFT because of all the doom mongers etc, zipped to the end to say well done to them & to you for managing to keep the secret! Lovely that our Queen had a hand in the design herself.

I was quite surprised to see “William Purves” so prominently displayed on the side window of the one used in Scotland. I didn’t realise it had been removed but just checked the film DC made of the hearse in Edinburgh and right enough, it’s gone. It looked a bit weird (like sponsorship) so don’t know why they didn’t take it off in the first place. I noticed a reference to “the state hearse” on the news last night (which I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t known the other one was part of the WP fleet) so maybe it’ll be used every time there is a state funeral from now on.

@hereforever thank you for sharing this. I live near where the hearse was made therefore presumably near you - some good news to come out of our area!

The William Purves hearse was in Scotland. Op is talking about the hears in England. I doubt very much that the funeral directors need to promote their business in such a way, hence it was discreetly removed once they realised.

Was suicide terrorists learning to fly, hijacking multiple planes and flying them into buildings a thing pre 9/11

Christ

People like this really do exist...always astonishes me that people walk around being miserable, mardy, rude and obnoxious just for the fun of it is seems.

😂😂 There are some weirdos on this thread.

OP it's lovely to read a thread with someone saying something positive about their partner! You're quite right to be proud of him.

To the woke brigade, I'm one of those crippled by student debt and struggling to get on the property ladder, with parents who will likely have days when they have to choose between food and heating this winter. Not for a second do I think the answer to these problems would have been chucking the queen's coffin in the back of a Toyota. How could that possibly work?!

I can imagine some particularly rabid anti-monarchist taking a pot shot at the hearse, so I’m not remotely surprised that the glass is bullet proof.

You can always count on Mumsnet to house the most bizarre people. 🙄
I never come across them in real life thankfully.

Well done to your husband OP!

No, it is not illegal to chop cars in half and weld them together. What is illegal is to use or sell such a vehicle without getting it appropriately approved.