The Queen

[Shyheels]

Hard to imagine that after 70 years on the throne the seemingly eternal queen has died. On Tuesday she was greeting her 16th prime minister. Her first was Winston Churchill. What an amazing life and what dedication to service - 70 years and she never put a foot wrong. Well not see her like again

[mlroseplant]

As an American, I have never pretended to be interested in such things, but today I do find myself being drawn into the the stories of the queen's life. She was an extraordinary lady.

[Shyheels]

It seems so weird to be writing, thinking, or saying King Charles - it feels like something out of the 17th century 

[at9]

Although it's hardly appropriate for the new King, I can't get "Vicar of Bray" out of my head.

"In good King Charles' golden days when loyalty no harm meant

A zealous High Church man was I and so I got preferment...."

Plus I've got parts of Charles Ives' "Variations on America" as an earworm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variations_on_"America"

[VirginHeels]

A wonderful woman who led our country with poise and class. 15 prime ministers, 14 presidents and many other world names famous and infamous in equal measure.

One thing is for sure, we are the poorer for not having her around. King Charles will have to prove himself in quick measure.

One thing that will be something to look for over the next 10 days is the heel fashion.

[Aly]

Hopefully Charles III will have a better go of it than Charles II ... 😁

[Shyheels]

13 minutes ago, Aly said:

Hopefully Charles III will have a better go of it than Charles II ... 😁

Twas Charles I that got the chop. Charles II attended his coronation in 4” heels. 
 

I’d be very surprised if Charles III followed suit…

[Puffer]

On 9/9/2022 at 10:55 AM, mlroseplant said:

As an American, I have never pretended to be interested in such things, but today I do find myself being drawn into the the stories of the queen's life. She was an extraordinary lady.

There is a story (possibly apocryphal) of the American tourist couple who, wandering around the countryside near Balmoral, came across the Queen, out walking and accompanied by her policeman 'minder'.   They failed to recognise her in her very casual country clothes but, knowing that the Queen's residence was nearby, asked her if she had ever met the Queen.   The queen replied, deadpan, 'No - but he has', indicating the policeman.

[Shyheels]

6 minutes ago, Puffer said:

There is a story (possibly apocryphal) of the American tourist couple who, wandering around the countryside near Balmoral, came across the Queen, out walking and accompanied by her policeman 'minder'.   They failed to recognise her in her very casual country clothes but, knowing that the Queen's residence was nearby, asked her if she had ever met the Queen.   The queen replied, deadpan, 'No - but he has', indicating the policeman.

Not apocryphal. It is a story that has been told by the close protection officer who was involved. It was referenced in a Guardian story the other day and named were named - I think his name was Griffin. It’s a story he apparently relates often - and why not? It’s hilarious.  

[Puffer]

45 minutes ago, Shyheels said:

Not apocryphal. It is a story that has been told by the close protection officer who was involved. It was referenced in a Guardian story the other day and named were named - I think his name was Griffin. It’s a story he apparently relates often - and why not? It’s hilarious.  

I'm glad to hear that the account was true.   My doubt was based on the publication of other stories to like effect, e.g. American tourists who had wandered into the Balmoral gardens and came across the Queen and her gardener planting roses, with a similar question and reply.

[Shyheels]

I think it is a bit of a case of Chinese whispers - a story gets told and retold and embellished, bits forgotten, bits added, etc. The original story seems to be true 

[HappyinHeels]

All,

I wrote about this to a musician friend of mine in Vancouver but it's worth repeating here. :Last week I had seen coverage of concern over QEII's health and thought this could be serious given the sudden travel of various family members. I took the news, as an American, stoically yet sympathetically for our most special friends in the U.K. and then ran an errand and later came home and put my wallet and spare change on the nightstand. I woke the next morning (the 8th) to find one coin had fallen off the nightstand. It was a Canadian quarter from 1979 the same year I met my musician friend who lives in Vancouver. The sight reminded me of my friend who lost her mother last year a woman I referred to as my "Western Canada Grandmother" and there was QEII looking back at me. For some reason I palmed the quarter and took it with me into the family to watch some news and saw the news that Her Majesty had indeed passed. What happened next was sudden but perhaps not surprising. Tears filled my eyes and I then looked at that quarter again. It seemed the Canadian within was now reacting. I realised here was someone I never knew or met or had any expectation I would meet even though I once met all sorts of celebrities when I worked at Chicago's O'Hare Airport yet I had a profound sense of loss. I then realised she had been close to me for years as a face on a coin in pocket or on a paper bill in my wallet. As she was in so many Commonwealth nations. All the trips I had made to Canada as a boy and then an adult man and other locales like the U.K., Gibraltar, Belize, and Guyana and there she was. Shyheels is right she was the stable hand of the British identity because she was the consummate diplomat. Though her reign saw the U.K. change in undeniable ways at least Britons could always fall back on Their Lady for stable guidance. She loved Canada and loved the United States there is no doubt about it. She will be missed more than I ever realised until now. I guess I always appreciated her and didn't take the time to express it. Better late than never. HappyinHeels  

[Shyheels]

She visited Canada 20 times as monarch - more than any other country.

I can understand your feelings perfectly.

Theyve had some fascinating documentaries on lately about her life. One of the best was on the BBC and consisted almost entirely of the royal family’s home movies and family snapshots going back to the 1920s. I hadn’t planned in sitting up to watch it because I was tired but I couldn’t help myself. One really felt as though one knew them by the end

[VirginHeels]

Someone decided to queue wearing heels for like 13 hours!!! Most others feet would have gone in that time!!!

 

[mlroseplant]

3 hours ago, VirginHeels said:

Someone decided to queue wearing heels for like 13 hours!!! Most others feet would have gone in that time!!!

 

Given the angle of the foot because of the huge platform, I can sort of see it being possible. After 13 hours of standing, you're likely to be miserable no matter what. My feet are getting tired just thinking about it. I typically do not have to stand more than 5 hours at a time, and even then, I take a few minutes to sit down and eat something during that time. I cannot imagine 13 hours.

[Shyheels]

THe thirteen-hour queue defeated me - I took a pass on the whole thing and will just watch the funeral on TV

[Puffer]

10 hours ago, Shyheels said:

THe thirteen-hour queue defeated me - I took a pass on the whole thing and will just watch the funeral on TV

Quite so.   The never-ending (and very repetitive) television coverage all week has been tiring enough, even if watched selectively.    

[Shyheels]

THere was one interesting show the BBC put on that consisted almost exclusively of home movies and family snapshots taken by the royal family of themselves going back to the 1920s. THat was really good, but that was the only memorable thing I'veseen this past week. Most has been very repetitive and forgetable. THey had a piece last night on the eve of the funeral which was just dire. I only hope that the coverage of the funeral will be done without the ceaseless chatting of the commentators voicing ovre ever moment. I doubt we'll be so lucky. They consider it their moment to shine, not our moment to watch.