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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:
iwantmyownicecreamvan · 14/09/2022 11:14

The royal family seem to keep their cars for years and years - especially their royal and state vehicles which are in that royal claret colour. I suppose it's a bit like the coaches etc - they don't get used very often, but they've been there for ever.

As pp have said, it was all part of the Queen's philosophy that she had to be seen to be believed - even in death. It takes a certain amount of character to be able to plan for this.

I hope they do a special documentary some time about the building of the hearse because lots of people would find it interesting (well I would).

TattiePants · 14/09/2022 11:15

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.

The Queen knew that people in their millions would want to see the coffin so the hearse was designed accordingly. It may seem weird (or grisly) to some but just look how many thousands of people lined the Royal Mile to see her over 3 different days, 33,000 visited St Giles Cathedral and that's nothing compared to how many will be in London.

OP, you should be rightly proud of your DH and his colleagues.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 14/09/2022 11:15

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.

@goodbyestranger

Then you might need to look up the meaning of grisly.

you can think it's bad taste, but many other people don't agree.

of course the Queen & gaily, advisors etc spent time planning for her funeral. What did you expect? It all to be arranged on the back of a fag packet down the pub??

NancyDrooo · 14/09/2022 11:16

I’ve always thought a hearse would be perfect for camping trips, you’d get loads on that boot. Perhaps I’ll pop down to my local charity shop and see if they have any.

OP you are rightly proud, it’s a moment in history 😍

DillDanding · 14/09/2022 11:18

BigHoots · 14/09/2022 10:05

Am i the only one that finds this totally bizarre. The idea of the queen needing her own exclusive hearse seems very wasteful to me. Apparently Phillip had his own special Land Rover hearse too. Young people today are crippled with student debt and ever getting onto the property ladder is now merely a dream. All this excess is in such bad taste.

I agree. I’m sure it’s an engineering feat of which to be proud, but the extravagance seems crass.

CrampMcBastard · 14/09/2022 11:20

My OH was admiring the Jag! He’s a proper car guy. He was disappointed the Scots hearse was a Merc, but if it’s through a connection to a person he’ll be interested to hear that. And he’ll defo appreciate the care and craftsmanship that your DH will have put into this ☺️

VainAbigail · 14/09/2022 11:20

be very honoured to be part of our Queen's final journey

You mean your husband was honoured to be part of her final journey.

it’s great that you’re proud of him and his colleagues though, but it was your husband and colleagues involvement. But you’re rightly proud of them all.

Shellingbynight · 14/09/2022 11:21

Thank you for sharing your story OP.
I saw the hearse on the news and noticed how beautiful it was, it is lovely to hear the story behind it.

goodbyestranger · 14/09/2022 11:23

Grisly is exactly the word I meant to use, fully conscious of it's meaning.

We can't all be persuaded to agree on everything to do with the rf.

So grisly stands, as far as I'm concerned.

WarmChocolateFudgeCake · 14/09/2022 11:23

I just assumed they put some lights in a hearse, so excessive and wasteful. The money being spent on this is distasteful, people are struggling to eat yet here we are someone being peraded in a custom made vehicle they'll use once for a 30min journey. Lovely your husband built it but an existing hearse would have done the job.

UnadulteratedCat · 14/09/2022 11:26

I saw the hearse on the news here in Australia and I was actually impressed at the different look to it and the extra visibility it gave. Well done to your husband and his work mates.

bert3400 · 14/09/2022 11:29

Can you ask your DH when they completed the hearse. I have an image of them frantically finishing it Thursday night but I'm probably wrong, it probably me that leaves everything to the last minute😁. And you are right to be proud OP

fucap · 14/09/2022 11:31

Presumably it will be reused for Charles.

It's an impressive vehicle and hope it will be reused, but they aren't exactly going to loan it out for plebs like me when we kick the bucket.

Hmmph · 14/09/2022 11:32

You're DH and his company should be very proud. It was a work of art and perfect, especially the glass and lights. In our house, and I am assuming thousands of others, we were admiring it's beauty.

I couldn't see the close up of the bonnet decoration - was it a horse? Does anyone have a picture?

Thank you also for your explanations about how they are all converted normal cars. Fascinating and I assumed the factories just made some.

IcedOatLatte · 14/09/2022 11:32

goodbyestranger · 14/09/2022 11:23

Grisly is exactly the word I meant to use, fully conscious of it's meaning.

We can't all be persuaded to agree on everything to do with the rf.

So grisly stands, as far as I'm concerned.

What exactly is grisly about a coffin covered with a flag? Are you sure you know what it means?

Unbridezilla · 14/09/2022 11:35

Fraine · 14/09/2022 09:43

It's a car really.

Which shows you have no idea what work goes into designing and manufacturing even a "normal" car, let alone something like this.

Well done OP's DH!

Georgieporgie29 · 14/09/2022 11:37

I find this fascinating. I had no idea how hearses were made, I did just assume that’s how they were built originally.

The workmanship in this hearse is absolutely stunning and must have taken hours. I love the fact that the queen also helped design it.

I would be immensely proud of my husband had been a part of this and I completely understand why you would want to share that news.

it also shows just how much work has gone into this whole thing as this is just a small part of it and hasn’t really been mentioned much.

Jellywobblescobbles · 14/09/2022 11:38

I think it’s a wonderful achievement OP! Thank you for sharing. Well done to your husband and all involved.

goodbyestranger · 14/09/2022 11:38

I wrote grisly because I meant grisly. Why would I use a word that I didn't mean. And why to people want to gawp at a coffin anyhow. It's just weird.

goodbyestranger · 14/09/2022 11:39

That should read why do people want to gawp.

Beats me.

SantanaBinLorry · 14/09/2022 11:39

DillDanding · 14/09/2022 11:18

I agree. I’m sure it’s an engineering feat of which to be proud, but the extravagance seems crass.

Show quote history

I also agree. Some food banks are closed on Monday, but hey ho, at least a dead woman has got a (probably very expensive) car to be driven about in.

Iamacatslave · 14/09/2022 11:41

Just imagine, designing your very own hearse.

Dogscanteatonions · 14/09/2022 11:43

I do think your post is a little in bad taste. OP congratulations to your husband and his firm. It was obviously a wonderful job they did but having been sworn to secrecy for so long do you honestly think your husband's firm would be pleased to know this post is on the internet? And could quite easily be picked up by the newspapers ? I would imagine this isn't the level of discretion that was called for.

PerkingFaintly · 14/09/2022 11:43

Beautiful piece of work, OP. Your DH and his colleagues did her proud.

As PP have said, the RF keep state vehicles seemingly forever, so I imagine this will now be used down the years.

DreadingWinter · 14/09/2022 11:43

Dogscanteatonions · 14/09/2022 11:43

I do think your post is a little in bad taste. OP congratulations to your husband and his firm. It was obviously a wonderful job they did but having been sworn to secrecy for so long do you honestly think your husband's firm would be pleased to know this post is on the internet? And could quite easily be picked up by the newspapers ? I would imagine this isn't the level of discretion that was called for.

I don't think it's in bad taste at all. It's all in the public domain.

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