HM Queen Elizabeth

[bob2s]

RIP your Majesty, I for one remember your first visit to Australia in 1954, 70% of the population turned out to see you.

[ExSp33db1rd]

We were the first family in our street to get television (especially for the coronation), and we had 'open house' for neighbours with our front room crowded by chairs like a cinema.
I remember it well.

My then girl-friend's family did just that too, I remember it well, small B & W "Box" TV.

My personally signed copy of my RAF warrant may become valuable in time, except that there are probably a few million of them !

[llondel]

An aviation-linked memory, I was going to go punting with a friend, except it looked very much like it was going to rain that day. As she'd come all the way from Ipswich, I suggested we could go visit Duxford, if she was interested, and we duly drove down there. When we arrived, it appeared that there was some sort of event in progress, and having gained entry, discovered that the Queen and Charlton Heston were up on a platform officially opening the new American museum building. Of course, that dates it pretty well to 1st August 1997.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Governor General on NZ TV today said it's too early to discuss NZ becoming a Republic, but .....I guess it will, and Mauri will take control, rename it and also rename all the major towns and cities, as they have already done on National TV News subscripts. I may have to leave, I chose to retire to New Zealand not Aotawotsit

[prospector]

Tut Tut. you will have the politically correct police after you, it is spelt Maori.

[Hydromet]

Whatever one's feelings about whether Australia should become a republic or continue as a constitutional monarchy, it's impossible not to admire the way HM has performed a role that she had no option but to accept. She always showed grace and dignity. and kept her promise to fulfil her duties for her whole life.

RIP your Majesty, I for one remember your first visit to Australia in 1954, 70% of the population turned out to see you.

Likewise. I remember the death of her father, and the Manly ferries flying their flags with a black cravat, possibly because their staffs were too short to fly them at half mast.

When HM visited Australia, my mother's boss lived on the route of her motorcade, so we were able to have a good view of her over the heads of the crowd on the footpath.

[Pinky the pilot]

Thank you Ma'am for your service to your last days.

Long live the King.

[TheGreenAnger]

I thought that journalist and writer John Crace caught the moment when parliament became aware of the bad news from Balmoral rather well.

It was a moment impossible to forget. A time when icy shards of reality forced their way into the national psyche, and politics had to give way to history. A time we all knew would one day come but had somehow still caught us unawares. The death of the Queen was always something for a tomorrow. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

The first sign that anything was wrong came early on in the energy debate of the House of Commons. It was about 12.15pm and Keir Starmer was replying to the prime minister’s opening remarks. A continuation of their disagreement at prime minister’s questions the day before over whether the government should impose a windfall tax to part-pay for the £150bn bailout. A necessary and urgent argument that would affect people for years to come. Then, in an instant, it became a news in brief.

Nadhim Zahawi entered the Commons and hovered hesitantly behind the Speaker’s chair. He then had a few words with Lindsay Hoyle before edging his way along the government frontbench to sit down between Liz Truss and the chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng.

His arrival initially provoked a few raised eyebrows from the opposition benches – was it possible that last week’s chancellor was better briefed on the energy costs than this week’s chancellor and had come to update the prime minister? – but nothing more. Starmer pressed on, oblivious to the distraction, asking why previous Tory governments had done so little on solar, onshore wind and nuclear energy.

Zahawi passed Truss a note and the pair began an intense conversation. Then the prime minister seemed to send the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster away. As if she had asked him to get more information. The debate continued with Theresa May talking about the benefits of home insulation. She never could pick her moments.

Minutes later, things became more frenetic as Zahawi returned. People had put two and two together. Zahawi was a royal conduit after all. He went back to Truss to update her further before returning to the Speaker’s chair. He passed a note down the Labour frontbench to Angela Rayner. She nodded and informed Starmer, who immediately left the chamber for a few minutes. Meanwhile the press gallery emptied. The rumours had started. The Queen had died. The Queen was dying. For once the rumours turned out to be true.

Truss appeared rooted to the spot. As if unsure of what to do. Of all the things she had dreamed of doing in her first few days in office, this wasn’t one of them. Should she stay or should she go now? This was well above her pay grade. Except it wasn’t. You could sense her telling herself to get a grip.

The rest of those in the know were just grateful the Queen had lived long enough to accept Boris Johnson’s resignation. The last thing the country needed was a narcissistic prime minister who would make a monarch’s death all about him. Starmer returned to his place, his expression giving nothing away.

Hoyle clutched a note of his own, anxiously waiting for Buckingham Palace to release official confirmation of the rapid decline in the queen’s health. When it came, he interrupted the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, to make a short statement. “I know I speak on behalf of the entire house,” he said, “when I say that we send our best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen, and that she and her family are in our thoughts and prayers at this moment.”

After that the Commons all but emptied. All noise and passion spent. For most MPs, a row over how the energy price cap would be paid for could wait another day. And those that did stay, like the Lib Dem leader, Ed Davey, admitted that their hearts were no longer really in it. Starmer and Truss left together, deep in conversation. This could be one of the less dysfunctional relationships between party leaders.

Truss returned to No 10. First to tweet her sadness about the Queen, then to tweet about the energy price cap. Even on a day like this, she couldn’t quite bring herself to accept that her big policy announcement had been overshadowed. Come the winding up speeches, most of the frontbenches had returned to the Commons. There were a few nervous jokes – with forced laughter at terrible jokes – but no one was really paying attention. Just filling in time. Awkwardly.

When the debate ended, everyone gradually disappeared. Knowing that something seismic was about to happen to the country but with no idea what form the upheaval might take. The Queen had somehow always seemed immanent. Now she was flesh and blood in a state of imminence. Nothing for anyone to do but wait. There would be no miracle. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

After an afternoon of time suspended, in which the minutes seemed to loop back on themselves, the waiting was finally over shortly after 6.30pm. The Queen was dead. Half an hour later, a visibly emotional Truss spoke to the nation from Downing Street. Several times her voice caught on words as she tried to capture the scale of the loss of someone who had been queen for longer than most of us have been alive and had helped to shape the direction of the country.

It was the end of a second Elizabethan era and the beginning of one as yet unknown. As yet undefined. A period of crushing uncertainty. A pillar of our lives had crumbled. There was, perhaps, too much of Truss herself in the speech. We didn’t really need to know that the Queen had been an inspiration to her and that it had been nice to see her on Tuesday. But at least she was trying to connect with the country. Something she has never yet managed to do.

This was a long way from Tony Blair’s speech about Princess Diana, one where the Labour leader caught the mood of the country and made a common grief felt heard. But it was far better than it might have been. The Queen is dead. Long live King Charles III.

[Ex-Ascot]

Just checked the log books. I had the honour 27 times. The last one was to land her at MAN which was significant as it it right next to where I was brought up.

My ex wife was presented to HMQ at a drinkies do in my absence. She asked where i was which was in Africa with HRH Princess Anne. When she was told the exact location she said, 'a ghastly place'.

[EA01]

Yes, found it a little more moving than I thought it would. Wonderfully committed and in service to her Country, and from her 21st (?) speech served till the very end. Struck me that I saw her earlier in the week receive Liz Truss, and by Thursday she had died...

[CharlieOneSix]

Two Citation 525 aircraft have departed Aberdeen from the east side helicopter terminal, both heading south, no destination given but presumably Northolt.

[Ex-Ascot]

Think HM King Charles is airborne estimating NHT 13.35 L.

[G-CPTN]

Apparently, President Biden is presenting a security headache by insisting that he will attend the funeral.

[Woody]

Earlier this week I, after checking the guessers best attempt for Saturday, purchased a ticket for the last Test Match at The Oval, received an email from Surrey last night asking all those attending today to be in their seats by 10.30 as there will be a tribute to Her Majesty, just changed my train time and cancelled pre match meeting in a local pub, so that I will be able to attend.

[TheGreenAnger]

Earlier this week I, after checking the guessers best attempt for Saturday, purchased a ticket for the last Test Match at The Oval, received an email from Surrey last night asking all those attending today to be in their seats by 10.30 as there will be a tribute to Her Majesty, just changed my train time and cancelled pre match meeting in a local pub, so that I will be able to attend.

Will this be the first sports match where God Save the King is sung?

[Woody]

Will this be the first sports match where God Save the King is sung

Hadn’t thought of that

As an aside, The Oval is owned by the Prince of Wales, hence the SCCC emblem of the Fleur de Lys, wonder when William becomes the landlord?

[TheGreenAnger]

Will this be the first sports match where God Save the King is sung

Hadn’t thought of that

As an aside, The Oval is owned by the Prince of Wales, hence the SCCC emblem of the Fleur de Lys, wonder when William becomes the landlord?

It seems those northern Rugby League types have pipped cricket to the post!

https://rugbyleaguehub.com/god-save-the ... colour-tv/

Following the Queen’s death on Thursday, soccer was postponed but rugby league went ahead, meaning “God Save The King” got its first airing at a sports event as Leeds Rhinos beat Catalans Dragons 20-10 at Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan.

The first official rendition of God Save the King will be sung at St Paul’s Cathedral at the end of a memorial service for the Queen.

The lyrics to the national anthem will change from “Queen” to “King” and “her victorious” to “him victorious” to mark that King Charles III has now taken over as monarch.

It comes after crowds spontaneously sang the version of the song outside of Buckingham Palace on Friday as the King arrived with the Queen.

The new lyrics are also expected to be sung at the Kia Oval on Saturday during the England v South Africa Third Test Match, which was paused on Friday following the Queen's death.

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/ ... s-service/

Sing well Woody. Seems you will be at the first sports event in the UK to sing the new refrain.

[PHXPhlyer]

Thanks to the big dog asking to go out mat 0200L I was up to watch all of the Pomp and Circumstance that went on this day in the UK.
The "Royal Experts" were not totally helpful with their analysis as much of what was going on had never been seen in their lifetimes and had never been recorded.
I would like to have had a guide to the whole thing, especially the participants and the significance of their attire and accoutrements.
Any info toward that end would be appreciated.

PP

[TheGreenAnger]

Hope Woody is enjoying the match.

The first ball of the final Test between England and South Africa was delivered promptly at 11am, under leaden skies and in an atmosphere rendered sombre by the brief ceremony that preceded it, and a reminder that sometimes there is nothing so eloquent as complete silence.

Unbidden, the crowd at the Oval stood and fell quiet as representatives of the armed forces formed a guard of honour in front of the pavilion in the minutes before play was due to start, and remained hushed as the umpires and players of both sides emerged from their dressing rooms and walked through it before lining up for the anthems.

The quiet was finally and briefly broken by, paradoxically, the announcement of a minute’s silence, and then on its completion by the ringing of the bell by a senior NCO of the Irish Guards. The singing of South Africa’s anthem was observed with similar respect before a cathartic rendition of God Save the King (the first time it had been sung at a televised sporting event in more than 70 years), led by the soprano Laura Wright and accompanied by the rumbling baritone of an overwhelmingly male crowd, feeling their way a little gingerly into its suddenly unfamiliar lyric. And then, as the singer’s final notes faded into silence, an ovation.

It was all very mannered, sometimes a little eerie, but not even the most inveterate cynic could fail to locate the respect and the warmth that ran through the silence, and then the applause.

Less than 24 hours earlier the England and Wales Cricket Board would have felt nervous about its decision to allow play on Saturday, but should be commended for that and also for organising a ceremony that took little time, made very little fuss and felt entirely appropriate. As should Test cricket’s often maligned fan base for somehow sensing, unguided, precisely how best to play their part in it.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... e-the-king

[G-CPTN]

Funeral scheduled to be held on Monday 19th (as expected).