What happens about the Queen's Speech if.....

[BertrandRussell]

the DofE dies?

I strongly suspect she is such a pro that she would just go ahead and deliver it. But I think the D of E is okay, though? They seemed to be downplaying it as something pre-existing.

I don't know but I don't think we can take much more bad news.

If D of E goes, it will be sad for his family but I feel in the current circs, another blow for a country that is under duress.

I'm not sure he's that ill is he? They've just said on BBC that the Queen is still attending Royal Ascot this afternoon. Although, she does love her horses....

When you are 96 I think anything can be serious.

I don't think they released the statement last night so that they could assess how serious the situation was today.

I hope he gets well soon!

I don't know but I don't think we can take much more bad news.

I don't know if the eventuality of the DofE dying would really be a cause for national grief on the scale of the attacks/Grenfell. I mean, with the greatest amount of respect, the man is 96 and has seen a fantastic amount of things in his time. It wouldn't be a shocking or untimely thing to happen, as sad as it will be for his immediate family and friends.

I would hope that when the time comes, while it would be a sombre occasion, we (collectively) would be able to admire the long and relatively healthy life of an important man, rather than having a national chest beating and wailing exercise.

*I don't know if the eventuality of the DofE dying would really be a cause for national grief on the scale of the attacks/

There aren't that many people who transcend the generations, though - the Queen and the D of E are known to everybody, young and old. So I think it'll be a huge deal.

...sorry - quote in bold fail!

His hospitatisation is describes as precautionary, and if HMQ has gone to Ascot as usual, then I doubt there is any immediate cause for concern.

But, say he were to pop off suddenly, the monarch (as an institution) would be unaffected, but the Queen would obviously be mourning. That may lead her to decide to reduce activities, but I doubt she'd do a Queen Victoria. Indeed, carrying on might be her choice.

There is however recent precedent on what happens if a monarch cannot deliver the Speech. When George VI was too unwell to attend, the speech was delivered on his behalf by the Lord Chancellor.

Gherkin

I do know what you mean. I don't expect a Diana-style period of grief. I just mean that we would have a very high level funeral and on top of all these other horrible events, it would just be one more.

Hope he pulls through

He has done a lot of serviec for this country. I hope he is okay.The Queen will carry on regardless I am sure.

I am afraid I did say to my teenagers earlier this week that it would be a pity if she were not around for the next Queen's speech in 2019. None of us can take things for granted in our 90s. Let us hope she is. Her mother lived to 100 so she might have 10 more years to go!

When George VI was too unwell to attend, the speech was delivered on his behalf by the Lord Chancellor

There are more recent precedents than that. In 1959 and 1963 the Queen did not deliver the Queen's Speech because she was pregnant (Andrew and Edward). The Lord Chancellor read the speech on both occasions. It is not clear who would read the speech now if the Queen is unable to deliver it herself as the role of Lord Chancellor was significantly changed in 2005. I suspect it may fall to the Lord Speaker rather than the Lord Chancellor.

He's 96, he's made it through cancer, he's doing pretty well to be honest!

I did wonder the same though!