HM Queen Elizabeth

[k3k3]

Chief of the Air Staff, ACM Sir Mike Wigston, says HM the Queen will be flown from Edinburgh to Northolt in a C-17 later today.

[Ex-Ascot]

Chief of the Air Staff, ACM Sir Mike Wigston, says HM the Queen will be flown from Edinburgh to Northolt in a C-17 later today.

That makes sense. They can rotate the coffin in flight and get into NHT. Paper cup of coffee for the Princes Royal? These guys are not used to making doors times. Let us see. Bet the Sqn boss is the captain.

[Ibbie]

The C-17 is already on the ramp at Edinburgh.

The F900 with the other members, excluding the Princess Royal, of the Royal Family who have been in Edinburgh, is just passing Luton on it's approach to Northolt.

[Ex-Ascot]

On arrival in Belfast the Lord Lieutenant, Dame somebody, who should know better, pawed HMK,

[TheGreenAnger]

In the outpouring of words and 'bon mots' in grief at the loss of HM The Queen and in praise of HM The King I was most impressed by this poem...

Floral Tribute, a poem for the Queen by Simon Armitage

Evening will come, however determined the late afternoon,

Limes and oaks in their last green flush, pearled in September mist.

I have conjured a lily to light these hours, a token of thanks,

Zones and auras of soft glare framing the brilliant globes.

A promise made and kept for life – that was your gift –

Because of which, here is a gift in return, glovewort to some,

Each shining bonnet guarded by stern lance-like leaves.

The country loaded its whole self into your slender hands,

Hands that can rest, now, relieved of a century’s weight.


Evening has come. Rain on the black lochs and dark Munros.

Lily of the Valley, a namesake almost, a favourite flower

Interlaced with your famous bouquets, the restrained

Zeal and forceful grace of its lanterns, each inflorescence

A silent bell disguising a singular voice. A blurred new day

Breaks uncrowned on remote peaks and public parks, and

Everything turns on these luminous petals and deep roots,

This lily that thrives between spire and tree, whose brightness

Holds and glows beyond the life and border of its bloom.

SIMON ARMITAGE
Poet laureate

[CharlieOneSix]

In the outpouring of words and 'bon mots' in grief at the loss of HM The Queen and in praise of HM The King I was most impressed by this poem...

+1. Very apt in both verses to have the first letter of each line to come together to spell Elizabeth.

[TheGreenAnger]

In the outpouring of words and 'bon mots' in grief at the loss of HM The Queen and in praise of HM The King I was most impressed by this poem...

+1. Very apt in both verses to have the first letter of each line to come together to spell Elizabeth.

For once we have a poet laureate who is a master of his craft in extremis!

[Ibbie]

It appears there are two C-17s operating with a five minute interval from Edinburgh to Northolt.

I would think one is bringing the Royal vehicles back south. It was mentioned by one interviewee this morning that HMK prefers the older Rolls to the newer Bentley.

[Ex-Ascot]

It appears there are two C-17s operating with a five minute interval from Edinburgh to Northolt.

I would think one is bringing the Royal vehicles back south. It was mentioned by one interviewee this morning that HMK prefers the older Rolls to the newer Bentley.

I think that driving them back would be a cheaper option. If HMK is short of a car in the meantime there is always Hertz. They may even give him discount. It would be a good promotion for them.

[TheGreenAnger]

Some really good photo's of the Queen herein...

[Ex-Ascot]

Sorry but am I the only one who thinks that it is pointless in queuing for hours/days to walk past HMQ's coffin or chuck bunches of flowers in front of a Royal Palace to show respect? I have respected her for the whole of my life. I have swore allegiance to her and flown her many times. What is the point in all of this passing HMQ's coffin. No doubt I will get shot down for this.

[G-CPTN]

Can it be that experiencing these events means that the individuals can subsequently say that 'they were there'?

Personally, I recall being present at the local declaration of Elizabeth in the town square where I grew up, and that fact has arisen in conversations over recent days.

I also know that my son is keen to take his boys to London to experience something of the events surrounding the funeral (despite the many thousands - or even millions - attempting the same).

He took them to events of the Olympics, too.

[Woody]

We’ve been to the Cambridge Gate at Windsor Castle today and have laid flowers, but MrsWoody’s parents both worked at the Castle, so there is a link.

[4mastacker]

Why did it take so long between HMtQ's coffin being carried onto the aircraft and the aircraft eventually starting up and departing? The attending dignitaries* looked as if they were getting a bit bored waiting for the aircraft to move off. i thought Royal flights were

Good God, did I just call Sturgeon a 'dignitary'?

[llondel]

Sorry but am I the only one who thinks that it is pointless in queuing for hours/days to walk past HMQ's coffin or chuck bunches of flowers in front of a Royal Palace to show respect? I have respected her for the whole of my life. I have swore allegiance to her and flown her many times. What is the point in all of this passing HMQ's coffin. No doubt I will get shot down for this.

I know someone who turned up to his mother's viewing because he wanted to make sure she was really dead. They did not get on in life though, which is not the motivation for most of these people.

Like you, I see no need to queue to see a body in a coffin. I didn't even do that for my own mother, I prefer to remember her as I last saw her alive.

[PHXPhlyer]

Like you, I see no need to queue to see a body in a coffin. I didn't even do that for my own mother, I prefer to remember her as I last saw her alive.

Like you, I see no need to queue to see a coffin with a body in it.

FTFY

PP

[ExSp33db1rd]

I've read comments that many in the UK feel that Harry should be allowed to wear his army uniform at the funeral, because he earned it in his own right and it isn't a Grace and Favour rank bestowed on him by the Queen.

But, question.... aren't only ranks of Major and above, and appropriate equals in the other Services, alllowed to use their Service rank once retired from active service, and presumably wear their old uniform on suitable occasions ? If so, then Harrys earned rank of Captain wouldn't qualify, and as he has been stripped of any other honorary rank then his ban still applies ?

[ricardian]

In the outpouring of words and 'bon mots' in grief at the loss of HM The Queen and in praise of HM The King I was most impressed by this poem...

+1. Very apt in both verses to have the first letter of each line to come together to spell Elizabeth.

Yes, not one but two acrostics.

[Ex-Ascot]

This uniform thing. I am guessing but HMQ's wish was that Prince Andrew should wear uniform at the Westminster vigil. He didn't in Edinburgh because she wished but didn't foresee dying in Scotland. I do not believe that he will wear uniform at the funeral. Ginge wanted out and has been stripped of all his honorary titles so what uniform does he wear? Boy scout? As mentioned above he can't wear a Captain's uniform as retired. He got himself into all this with big shoves from Nutmeg. No uniform ever again. Made the bed lie in it. Idiot.

[FD2]

Some interesting comments from Jordan Peterson: