The Queen's State Funeral

[zxDaveM]

Just a couple of things that really stuck in my mind (OK, made me cry):

 

The coffin being brought out of Westminster Hall and put on the gun carriage, then the pipers providing the music for the parade to the Abbey, with the senior Royal Family in behind.

Those bearers were immense

The hymn 'Love Divine'

The lone piper in the Abbey (repeated in Windsor) walking away and so the sound faded away

The two minute silence

The crowds not only lining the Mall, but half the roads from Kensington all the way to Windsor

The throngs on the Long Walk

I thought the Windsor Chaplain (I can't remember his official title) was very moving

The Mace, The Orb, and The Crown being taken off the coffin

The coffin sinking into the floor of the chapel in Windsor Castle

 

[bridiem]

Seconded entirely, zxDaveM!

 

Also:

The dignity and courage of the Queen's family, especially those who walked behind the coffin

The coffin passing by the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where we have seen the Queen smiling and waving on countless occasions

The coffin passing the Albert Memorial; a place which has very personal meaning for me

The procession trundling slowly along the country roads near Windsor; the Queen coming home, and to be laid to rest with her beloved husband, parents and sister

Her horse, and her corgis

The absolutely resolute faces and complete discipline of all the military personnel and every single person walking in front of, beside or behind the coffin, sometimes for long distances; no effort was too much to pay tribute to and say farewell to this Queen

 

Lots of tears, but also pride and so much gratitude, to the Queen and to all who made today what it was.

 

 

[MJW]

Such an intensely moving sight - quite overwhelming at times - particularly the lone pipers.

 

Lovely to see Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

[alison]

One of the things which struck me most forcibly - and which I was totally unprepared for - was how "un-State" a State Funeral it was.  Yes, there was a cathedral, full of foreign dignitaries, and all the armed forces in the procession, but when it came down to it the actual service - apart from being from the Book of Common Prayer, which I don't suppose happens that often these days - seemed to me to be pretty much the same as any other Church of England funeral I've been to.  Which I suppose is actually quite proper, theologically speaking, if we're all supposed to be equal before God.

[Dawnstar]

3 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

The Mace, The Orb, and The Crown being taken off the coffin

 

That was what made me cry the most. The ultimate illustration of You Can't Take It With You.

[Ian Macmillan]

It has been a truly remarkable day.  I have very clear memories of Her Majesty's Coronation in 1953 (via a great-uncle's TV) and of the months beforehand and have rather gorged on the TV coverage today as a natural conclusion to an era that spans most of my life.  I'll happily endorse most of what others have already said, but I'd like to add that I found Kirsty Young's epilogue from Windsor at the end of the Service there exemplary in every way.   

[Jan McNulty]

A "view" of the funeral from the New York Times and the Washington Post:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/19/arts/dance/choreography-queen-funeral.html

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/theater-dance/2022/09/19/monarchy-queen-elizabeth-funeral/

 

 

 

[zxDaveM]

10 hours ago, Ian Macmillan said:

I'll happily endorse most of what others have already said, but I'd like to add that I found Kirsty Young's epilogue from Windsor at the end of the Service there exemplary in every way.   

 

here is a transcipt of that epilogue:

 

"It's often felt in recent days that a veil of sorrow has covered the nation, but the Queen's funeral has surely exemplified her reign - she united us in one final act of togetherness, unifying the United Kingdom and the world beyond in respect, ceremony and significance.

"As a very young woman, she famously said, her whole life whether it be long or short would be devoted to our service. Well, never was a person truer to their word.

"And today we have come together, many of us with tears in our eyes, but all of us with an abiding warmth in our hearts for all that she gave.

"Just over three months ago the world, and a certain little bear, said 'Thank you, for everything' and The Queen looked as though she thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.

"We will, surely, be ever grateful to have had that final opportunity to celebrate with Her Majesty her remarkable and long reign. If, as she once said, 'grief is the price we pay for love,' then the weight of our collective sorrow is a testament to the depth of affection in which she is held.

"She made history, she was history. Queen Elizabeth II is gone. But she will surely never be forgotten."

 

- BBC's Kirsty Young close to tears as she signs off the Queen's funeral broadcast with a beautiful tribute

[Sim]

What an amazing day all round.  So many moving moments.  I agree with all of those listed above.  As far as other countries' viewpoints are concerned, they simply do not understand.  They have never had what we had/have, so most of them just don't get it.  

 

Looking at the Prince & Princess of Wales, and their children (including Charlotte bossing her older brother around and telling him he has to bow!), it looks like our Monarchy is in a strong position to move forward, in whatever iteration it takes.  

 

Meanwhile, I take my hat off and bow to everyone involved in the organisation and execution of that most magnificent of days.  I hope that all of those young pallbearers get the special recognition they deserve....not forgetting the ones in Scotland who took such good care of the Queen in the first days after her passing.  

[Fiz]

I think everyone has said everything that I would have said for me. I cried several times throughout the ceremony at Westminster Abbey but the march to the chapel at Windsor was more moving, I felt. Peoples’ faces, the waiting pony Emily and the two corgis, the herculean effort of those bearers who must have moved the dear Queen’s coffin about seven or eight times, the removal of the Crown regalia from the coffin and when it sank into the vault were extremely moving but nobody has remarked on the expression on King Charles’s face at the end of the ceremony. It showed grief, regret and the impression that he had the cares of the nation on his shoulders. I truly felt for him. This has been an exhausting time for the whole of the Royal Family. 

Edited September 20, 2022 by Fiz
Left out a few words.

[alison]

Yes.  As the country as a whole returns to (another) "New Normal", The Royal Family has another week of official mourning: I hope they can all take the time to rest (well, what counts for "resting" in that family) after all the manic exertion and grieve privately - and get through that "post-funeral letdown" slump.  I doubt that anyone outside that circle can really understand how it feels - and particularly the situation of the heir to the throne suddenly becoming the sovereign with (I presume) virtually no forewarning.

[Lizbie1]

All the above, plus Croft's setting of the funeral sentences - one of the great survivors of royal funeral services (if it ain't broke...) - as the coffin was carried up the nave of Westminster Abbey.

[Fonty]

On 19/09/2022 at 19:12, zxDaveM said:

J

 

The Mace, The Orb, and The Crown being taken off the coffin

 

 

I was watching from abroad over the internet, and sadly I missed that bit because we lost our internet connection.  I was hoping to see it again on line, but I can't find it anywhere.  We also lost connection when the coffin was arriving at Windsor Castle, so again missed the dogs and horses. 

I thought the coverage by the BBC was absolutely perfect.  Although it was obvious at times that individuals were breaking down, there were no intrusive camera close ups.  Instead, the shot would cut away to the roof, the coffin, the pipers, or whatever to allow people to compose themselves again.

One of the most moving parts of all for me was moment at the end when King Charles, his face etched with grief, carefully placed the crimson flag on the Queen's coffin, and the breaking of the Wand of Office. 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Fonty

[zxDaveM]

2 hours ago, Fonty said:

One of the most moving parts of all for me was moment at the end when King Charles, his face etched with grief, carefully placed the crimson flag on the Queen's coffin, and the breaking of the Wand of Office. 

 

The crimson flag was the 'company colours' (a low key flag used on the battlefield to indicate the location of the leader). This was buried with her, alongside her Lord Chamberlain's wand of office.

Very moving indeed

[LinMM]

It was very hard watching Charles place that crimson flag on the coffin as he looked so grief stricken at that point it almost felt intrusive. 
I agree with everything people have already said here. 
The initial pipers accompanying the coffin to the Cathedral were very moving and seeing her favourite pony Emma standing waiting at Windsor set me off! 
I must admit had a few moments of trepidation and could hardly watch the coffin being carried up all those steps to the chapel at Windsor….. those pall bearers were just amazing…what a responsibility knowing millions of eyes were focussed on you and the coffin being lead lined must have been pretty heavy to say the least!  I know they do practise and rehearse these things but still amazing for everything to be so perfect in the end. 
The whole thing was mesmerising can’t believe we spent the whole day in front of the tv like that! 
 

[bangorballetboy]

On 21/09/2022 at 17:47, zxDaveM said:

 

The crimson flag was the 'company colours' (a low key flag used on the battlefield to indicate the location of the leader). This was buried with her, alongside her Lord Chamberlain's wand of office.

Very moving indeed

 

Very moving but pedant in me must point out that the small flag is the "company camp colour", not the "company colours".

[zxDaveM]

6 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

Very moving but pedant in me must point out that the small flag is the "company camp colour", not the "company colours".

 

I wasn't sure of the exact term, hence the quotes. Thanks for clarifying

[postie]

I missed most of this though caught up somewhat later in the day - up all night having joined The Queue on a whim when I saw it had shortened and was almost at Tower Bridge.

 

Took 40-minutes to get there - after a minutes' silence standing up on a double-decker at a bus stop - and joined by Hays Galleria at 8.10pm on the Sunday night. I'd done the maths and was pleased to be spot on with a 01.30 estimate. Unfortunately, they closed the Hall as we were almost at the end of the Snake. Pah!

 

I knew they stopped for a while each night for cleaning, hoovering, changing things, but now added to that, we were told, were rehearsals. Allegedly. I still think they wanted to judge things so The Queue lasted until exactly 06.30, which is what happened. Anyway, what could have been under 6 hours ended up at 9. No complaints; everything was lovely.

 

When we went in it was, as so many have said, sombre, regal, special. The Hall was a unique mood. I went for my grannies, put a hand on my heart and then blew a kiss.

 

Also, as many have said, The Queue was memorable. We formed a group of 6; certainly random in the general sense but, actually, with a degree of self-sorting as the hours passed. We do have a whatsapp group now, and a meet up is planned before Christmas.

 

From a minutes' silence on a bus at 8pm on Tooley St to a Pret coffee at Waterloo station with my new friends at 05.30, I'm glad to have gone and, actually, to have shared the experience with erstwhile strangers. Those wartime ladies - the Queen and my grans - would have liked the community spirit, too.

 

Regarding the funeral, at Westminster, the piper fading into the distance playing 'Sleep dearie sleep'. One of several tricky moments.

[Melody]

So now the period of court mourning is over and the royal family will be dealing with the new normal. I hope things go smoothly for them. The senior royals, especially the King and Queen, had a lot to do in the week before the funeral, with all those trips and especially with having to come up with a speech in Welsh in the middle of everything else.

 

With the time difference between here and the UK, I think I was up for 24 hours straight on the day of the funeral - very memorable and historic. It was also interesting, a few days earlier, to see the service in St Giles Cathedral with the Scottish standard rather than the usual royal standard in evidence. 

 

I assume the coronation will take place next summer.

[Sim]

14 hours ago, Melody said:

So now the period of court mourning is over and the royal family will be dealing with the new normal. I hope things go smoothly for them. The senior royals, especially the King and Queen, had a lot to do in the week before the funeral, with all those trips and especially with having to come up with a speech in Welsh in the middle of everything else.

 

With the time difference between here and the UK, I think I was up for 24 hours straight on the day of the funeral - very memorable and historic. It was also interesting, a few days earlier, to see the service in St Giles Cathedral with the Scottish standard rather than the usual royal standard in evidence. 

 

I assume the coronation will take place next summer.

They are predicting next spring or summer.  However, it will apparently be a much-scaled down affair in comparison to that of the late Queen.  Times have changed....so they will keep some of the religious and historical traditions, but jettison a lot as well.  The most important part of the coronation is the anointing with the oil, and the oath. That will of course be kept, but they really want a trimmed down service especially in light of the financial difficulties the country will be experiencing for the next months to come.  I have also read that the King is going to tell world leaders not to feel obliged to come if they are invited, and if they do come, to try to use commercial flights.  That last request didn't really work for the funeral...anyway, it will be interesting to see how it's all done.

 

Likewise, there will be no official or public investiture for William as Prince of Wales.

[Melody]

13 hours ago, Sim said:

They are predicting next spring or summer.  However, it will apparently be a much-scaled down affair in comparison to that of the late Queen.  Times have changed....so they will keep some of the religious and historical traditions, but jettison a lot as well.  The most important part of the coronation is the anointing with the oil, and the oath. That will of course be kept, but they really want a trimmed down service especially in light of the financial difficulties the country will be experiencing for the next months to come.  I have also read that the King is going to tell world leaders not to feel obliged to come if they are invited, and if they do come, to try to use commercial flights.  That last request didn't really work for the funeral...anyway, it will be interesting to see how it's all done.

 

Likewise, there will be no official or public investiture for William as Prince of Wales.

I think the idea of a more scaled-down coronation is probably the right way to go. After the Queen's memorable reign, and especially with the funeral so soon after all the Jubilee celebrations, the present reign is going to be more low-profile, and the coronation should reflect that. 

 

I do wonder about the whole Prince of Wales thing, though. I assume that part of the reason for the early announcement of the title being conferred on Prince William was to head off the objections from Welsh nationalists about another English Prince of Wales. An investiture would probably be an excuse for even more agitating on that subject. I hope the current Prince of Wales does spend time and show interest in Wales during his tenure, something his father did seem to at least try to do.

[Sim]

4 hours ago, Melody said:

I think the idea of a more scaled-down coronation is probably the right way to go. After the Queen's memorable reign, and especially with the funeral so soon after all the Jubilee celebrations, the present reign is going to be more low-profile, and the coronation should reflect that. 

 

I do wonder about the whole Prince of Wales thing, though. I assume that part of the reason for the early announcement of the title being conferred on Prince William was to head off the objections from Welsh nationalists about another English Prince of Wales. An investiture would probably be an excuse for even more agitating on that subject. I hope the current Prince of Wales does spend time and show interest in Wales during his tenure, something his father did seem to at least try to do.

I am sure he will.  He and the PoW have already visited since the Queen’s funeral, they spent the first three years of their marriage there, and they love it.  So I have every confidence in them.