To think it's a shame we can't pay our respects

[KeepYaHeadUp]

When we initially heard about the funeral plans DH and I said it might be "nice" to take our DC to London (we're just outside) to walk past the Queen in Westminster Hall. They've been very interested in the whole event and are old enough now that they'll remember it and be able to talk about it, etc. so when they independently asked to go we looked into it.

It quickly became apparent it wasn't going to be feasible due to the huge queues etc, so that was knocked on the head. I feel it's a shame but there's no way I'd have them queuing in the rain.

On the news this morning there are a number of people who's caught flights from all over the world to come and be part of it. One pair - a mother and adult son from New York flew over as soon as they heard the Queen had died and are queuing now.

I know it's unreasonable really, but I felt a pang of something - jealousy, irritation, not sure - at these people with money and time to fly for hours to come and pay their respects to our monarch adding to numbers which effectively deny other groups the opportunity. I know there are allowances made for people with disabilities who are unable to queue for up to 30 hours, but what about children/families for whom it's impossible?

Shittest not shortest.

I'm just heading out now with my partner to have a gawp at the whole thing but not to grieve. As we live in outer London it's only a 35-minute train away. I suspect there will be many other rubberneckers well.

exactly. the country has lost its mind

I saw Archbishop Basil Hulme at Westminster Cathedral and the bones of Saint Theresa something or other as I worked just round the corner of Westminster Cathedral. I see it as some David Attenborough safari into the complexity of human society and how it collectively creates it's myths and narratives. So I would queue for 30 minutes say out of curiosity tops but certainly no more and certainly not if it was raining.

I cannot grasp the mindset of wanting to gawp at a coffin with a corpse inside. Just why?
What do people get out of it? No one is going to be impressed in 10 years that you and your kids saw a strangers coffin.

On one level it is a powerful reminder of your own mortality and how great or good you are we all go the same way no of us gets out of this world alive. And that is a humbling thought. My dear late mum queued all night on the pavement to see the 1953 Coronation she would certainly be shedding a tear even I am not. I will remember her.

You’re jealous of people flying from all over the world to pay their respects to an old woman they didn’t know. I think they need their head examining. And great, more pollution and burning of fossil fuels. Cos we needed more.

Shame they’re not mourning the millions of people suffering in Pakistan and other countries who are dying because of man made climate change. Instead all this fuss about a very privileged old woman who died peacefully surrounded by her family. Jeez

People are told not to bring chairs as once the queue starts moving it is expected to be constantly moving. Ditto sleeping bags etc. As I said upthread, this period before the lying in state has actually started is different, but once it opens the queue should be moving all the time.

Well it crossed my mind that it’s not very inclusive of neuro diverse people.

But then, there’s no way I’d go even with no queue to look at the dead body of someone I didn’t know, so didn’t worry any more about it.

No one is going to be impressed in 10 years that you and your kids saw a strangers coffin

Also this. It’s not being part of history, it’s not playing any part at all.

Want to be a part of history, get involved in politics, join the army, work for a charity campaigning for a really good cause.

Scotland and here. Thousands upon thousands of people queued to see the Queen here, from all over the country. Stand in a queue and you get to walk past her coffin, don’t stand in a queue and you don’t get to see it. It’s a simple, fair rule. The same for everybody. And yes, the elderly and very young waited too.

Op it is possible though, now you know there's a wrist band system will you reconsider going?

Everyone has barriers really - you have barriers as you don't need think it's right to queue with children.

I'd like to go but living up north and with the cost of living, I can't afford travel and accommodation, plus a 15m old to consider (I'd happily have the 9yo to wait, not so much the 15m), and work to consider. I've just accepted that it's not a possibility with the set up they have so will find a different way.

@Ivyy - we won't, we've made alternative arrangements as there is a nearby church service for children. There have been some good suggestion here too for alternatives

Independent has an article that if the queue actually reaches 30 hours as they are punting in the press it is a disaster in the making.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62900500

"The BBC is launching a dedicated stream of the Queen lying in state, for people who want to pay their respects virtually.

The service will be offered globally for those who want to pay their respects but cannot travel to London or are physically unable to queue."

There was a shot of someone lying in a bush with an argos carrier bag for a rain cover on the BBC breakfast news coverage this morning. That's dedication and good luck to them. If it was an easy 1 hour job I think I might be tempted for the history but otherwise no way, leave them to it. We were thinking it might have been nice if she was driven slowly down country instead of flying and we could all have gone out and clapped her in.

Do you not know that the Public filing past during Lying in State is nothing new?

Westminster Hall has been the venue for them since Edward VII funeral. There have been several. The Public always turn out for them.

So not " losing their mind", no.

I genuinely think that people who are prepared to queue up to 30 hours, for a 20 second walk past a coffin, actually need their heads seeing to.
That's complete and utter madness. Don't these people have jobs?

I saw on the BBC News website earlier that the BBC are going to do a live stream of the lying in state. Just put that on, light a candle, if you that way inclined say a prayer or get the kiddies to sing a hymn, and job done.

Really, @GonnaGetGoingReturns , so you think people from England, Scotland, and Wales should get priority, but not people from Northern Ireland? May I ask why?

It isn't an "event" full stop. Someone's died.

For someone claiming to be more respectful than anyone else in the world, you're awfully lacking in empathy!

I understand how you feel. It doesn't make sense that people abroad can travel and see her but those that live in the UK and wish to can't but that's just life. I knew I wouldn't be able to queue to pay my respect when she was up in Scotland as I have a 1 year old and school aged kids that would need picked up ( no family support) so we saw her on the way into Edinburgh which was much more manageable for us. Ultimately if you want to say a prayer or light a candle you can do that from home too.

Morbid alert ⚠️

I have already posted about this....

She said 'etc'. As in 'and so on' which includes NI. Not a very thorough sentence..but implied nonetheless.
At least that's the way I read it.