there will be no business for a gift shop during that time period.
Its an anarchist republican gift shop
That’s quite amazing that 40 million people support a monarchy
Leaving about 20m? Shop could be quite busy then
We still don’t know if we are off on Monday
If it's gift shop in a holiday town I'd assume most people on holiday won't interrupt their sight-seeing adventures to spend hours in front of the telly. I'd open and see how it goes.
Besides, we’ve been force fed days of this sycophantic deferential pantomime on every other channel or platform
Strange, I’ve only read about proceedings when I’ve actually clicked on a link (which hasn’t been often).
I'm guessing that you've not noticed mainstream TV, especially BBC, over the last few days then?
Why not give a Queen Elizabeth funeral memorial hobnob to everyone who enters the shop?
If it’s gift shop in a holiday town I’d assume most people on holiday won’t interrupt their holiday sight-seeing adventures to spend hours in front of the telly. I’d open and see how it goes.
It's not really about the number of customers.
It's the feeling that if you do open, then you are somehow disrespectful. This mock national mourning is something to behold.
Why not give a Queen Elizabeth funeral memorial hobnob to everyone who enters the shop?
I don't see the hobnob as being an anarchist republican biscuit. Maybe a garibaldi? Or an ironic bourbon.
One things for sure, change is coming in one form or another
No. Really?
Is it really 2/3rds who support a monarchy? Didn’t realise it was that high. Any source?
That’s quite amazing that 40 million people support a monarchy. If you take into account the amount of people who are undecided, then the amount of people who want abolishment must be a fairly small percentage
https://www.statista.com/statistics/863893/support-for-the-monarchy-in-britain-by-age/
No you can't delay having a new head of state. The point about sovereignty is that its continuous
Off on a tangent, but there are other countries (eg Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden) which still have monarchs but my impression is that they have a lighter touch than we’ve had in the past. Not sure how it looks from the inside of those countries and whether the monarchs still have any notional or real powe
I believe the Dutch royals most of them work in some form and the ceremonial stuff is much less and no real political power. They are a much smaller part of the national identity
Don't really GAS about the royal family but I do take great exception to being told to conform, think and behave a certain way just because everyone has gone a bit mad. It's borderline cult-like brainwashing TBH. It's funny being told to show 'respect' when councils are closing down bike racks, beekeepers are proclaiming to their bees that they have a new king and all manner of ridiculous ritual and cosplay is playing out right in front of us. Most of what's going on since she died isn't respectful, it's a pantomime.
Prince Charles became King Charles the moment his mother passed away. God appointed him automatically. That’s how Royalty works. Apart from when someone kills them in a battle or something, then God appoints them. It’s all a bit strange.
Just to be clear, that's the Protestant God, not the Catholic God. Strange how Charles's "defender of faith" thing from years back got handily forgotten when it came to the time
Don’t really GAS about the royal family but I do take great exception to being told to conform, think and behave a certain way
Who is telling you? Is there a handy guide on the BBC you can share?
I thought it was Loki? Or Dionysius?
Prince Charles became King Charles the moment his mother passed away. God appointed him automatically. That’s how Royalty works. Apart from when someone kills them in a battle or something, then God appoints them. It’s all a bit strange.
That's one thing I do actually agree on - the absolute last thing this country needs right now is some form of election to decide a new monarch!
Most of what’s going on since she died isn’t respectful, it’s a pantomime.
This too.
I can see how her death is the end of an era (an era that the majority of people in this country have known no different) and it's sad, absolutely get that there should be a period of mourning (especially for the family) but having it pumped out 24/7 with increasingly banal commentary and the 749th anecdote from some random old biddy about "when she met the Queen" is virtue signalling - LOOK AT US BEING RESPECTFUL!! YOU - YOU ARE NOT BEING RESPECTFUL, HOW DARE YOU!
Don’t really GAS about the royal family but I do take great exception to being told to conform, think and behave a certain way just because everyone has gone a bit mad.
Just ignore it. Its really not hard. I've managed to avoid it pretty much entirely in the same way I avoid watching Wimbledon, Rugby Union or gay dwarf porn.
I knew what it would be like (an orgy of emotionally incontinent, tear-stained forelock-tugging) so made a conscious decision to steer clear of it it all. Not difficult in our modern, multi-channel digital world
Just to be clear, that’s the Protestant God, not the Catholic God.
Pre Henry VIII it was the Catholic God. Now it's the Protestant God.
Strange how Charles’s “defender of faith” thing
I thought that was Henry's as well? Before he swopped Gods?
Just ignore it. Its really not hard. I’ve managed to avoid it pretty much entirely in the same way I avoid watching Wimbledon or gay dwarf porn.
You've done better than me.
Last night the BBC local radio football call in show was back. Switched it on and it was having a call in for tales of meeting Queenie. I switched it off but it still pissed me off. I mean it's pretty rubbish at the best of times but that's not the point.
The wife runs a gift shop in a coastal village.
She is always open on Bank Holidays apart from Christmas and Boxing Day. The whole village is based on tourism.
There is now talk that the small businesses should remain closed, at least for the duration of the funeral.
I think that’s pretty shit.
Depending on your / her views of what trading might be then is it worth being open if the country is glued to the TV for those 2 -3 hours?
Just ignore it. Its really not hard. I’ve managed to avoid it pretty much entirely in the same way I avoid watching Wimbledon, Rugby Union or gay dwarf porn.
I didn't realise that the Beeb broadcast much gay dwarf porn.
You’ve done better than me.
I've stopped reading any newspapers or news websites, and I've been listening to various podcasts and binge watching Stranger Things on Netflix instead
I've enjoyed avoiding all news and current affairs so much that I may make this a permanent thing
Ignorance really is bliss
Every cloud, eh? 😀
I'm on the BBC now, managed to scroll down to other news without immolating or offending anyone
Interesting that out of the top five watched reports on the BBC news site, only two are about the Royal Family, out of the top ten most read, only four are about the Royal Family.
Seems like people are being super devious and getting around all this wall to wall coverage somehow.
I didn’t realise that the Beeb broadcast much gay dwarf porn.
To be fair, BBC3 is not the STW demographic based on Mark's survey.
Watched a few minutes of the Edinburgh activity. A few minutes on Monday on TV will also suffice. But as others have said, I am mindful of their (but not my) sense of loss.
I’m on the BBC now, managed to scroll down to other news without immolating or offending anyone
When I mentioned BBC I was thinking more of the TV channels.
Today on BBC1 :
11.15 - 16.00 The King in NI
16.00 - 16.30 The 1 o'clock news(!)
16.30 - 18.05 The Queen's journey to London
18.05 - 18.45 The news
18.45 - 20.00 The eve of the procession to lying in state
20.00....normal programming, with The One Show, Eastenders, etc.
Don't worry - Bargain Hunt is scheduled for Monday!!... 🤣🤣
[img] 
[/img]
Come over to Ireland, last night on the main news on RTE 1 Queenie stuff was after the adds.
That’s one thing I do actually agree on – the absolute last thing this country needs right now is some form of election to decide a new monarch!
Maybe we could run some sort of non-binding advisory referendum instead?
This sort of thing irritates me. Why I read the report I have no clue. The bbc report on the coffin being moved in Edinburgh said it was the biggest crowd ever seen in the city. Highly unlikely given the size of the new year crowd and the size of the road this supposed biggest ever crowd was on.
Maybe we could run some sort of non-binding advisory referendum instead?
Will Boris win again? If so, then no.
it was the biggest crowd ever seen in the city
...by the specialist royal reporter who has never previously left the square mile containing windsor castle.
I thought that was Henry’s as well? Before he swopped Gods?
Yes.
It was originally given to him by the pope for his strong defence of Catholicism including writing a book.
The pope then took it away from him for some obscure reason.
About 10 years later parliament rerewarded him with it and decided they might as well give it to all his heirs as well whilst they were at it.
Just ignore it. Its really not hard.
I've barely watched the news since Friday, and I skip past the royal stuff on the guardian website (which is the only one read most of the time). I still know it's all there though. I still know that every upper class twit has crawled out of the woodwork to tell us just how important the monarchy is and how crucial it is to perform these ridiculous rituals so that they can retain their exalted positions and lord it over the rest of us (and don't be under any illusions that these ***** don't think they're better than us). I know that normally questioning and objective journalists have removed their brains and are now telling us how we should be obedient and subservient drones in the face of our betters. I know there are hordes of people on every social media platform bullying and in some cases threatening anyone who dares to not conform to their hysterical cult, and I know that the end result of this ghoulish display of ritual and pantomime will be the further entrenchment of reactionary and conservative power which the vast majority of us suffer from. And the worst thing is that we'll have to do it all again in a few years when Charles pops his clogs.
FWIW I didn't actually have a huge problem with the queen. Out of all of them she seemed like the least pompous and self-important and the most empathetic towards normal people. I've also got no problem with people mourning her death. But almost everything we've seen is a circus which debases what should should actually be respectful and celebratory. It's not about her, it's about the power of the upper class and their desperate need to remind the rest of us what our place is.
I’ve barely watched the news since Friday, and I skip past the royal stuff on the guardian website (which is the only one read most of the time). I still know it’s all there though. I still know that every upper class twit has crawled out of the woodwork to tell us just how important the monarchy is and how crucial it is to perform these ridiculous rituals so that they can retain their exalted positions and lord it over the rest of us (and don’t be under any illusions that these ***** don’t think they’re better than us). I know that normally questioning and objective journalists have removed their brains and are now telling us how we should be obedient and subservient drones in the face of our betters. I know there are hordes of people on every social media platform bullying and in some cases threatening anyone who dares to not conform to their hysterical cult, and I know that the end result of this ghoulish display of ritual and pantomime will be the further entrenchment of reactionary and conservative power which the vast majority of us suffer from. And the worst thing is that we’ll have to do it all again in a few years when Charles pops his clogs. Respect my arse!
Would you like extra salt and vinegar, sir?
I knew what it would be like (an orgy of emotionally incontinent, tear-stained forelock-tugging) so made a conscious decision to steer clear of it it all. Not difficult in our modern, multi-channel digital world
I will occasionally watch about 10 minutes or so for the entertainment value. I find TV interviews with random royalists on the street particularly amusing, I was gobsmacked at the sight of a grown woman yesterday trying to speak as she was overcome with emotion talking about QE2.
Much of the pageantry which even many republicans seem to enjoy I find totally absurd, and for that very reason rather interesting. The gun salutes in which grown men pretend to be badly built robots is just both weird and amusing imo.
But when I get rapidly bored with it I find it remarkably easy to switch over/off.
Luckily, Would I Lie To You, Room 101, and Family Guy, appear to be completely unaffected by the sad death of Her Majesty. So it's not that tragic.
tjagain Full Member
This sort of thing irritates me. Why I read the report I have no clue. The bbc report....
So that you would be fully up to date with what was irritating you?
to be fair, only the very elderly watch "channels" these days, and RF stuff is probably exactly what they want to watch 🤷♂️When I mentioned BBC I was thinking more of the TV channels.
I’ve barely watched the news since Friday, and I skip past the royal stuff on the guardian website (which is the only one read most of the time). I still know it’s all there though. I still know that every upper class twit has crawled out of the woodwork to tell us just how important the monarchy is and how crucial it is to perform these ridiculous rituals so that they can retain their exalted positions and lord it over the rest of us (and don’t be under any illusions that these ***** don’t think they’re better than us). I know that normally questioning and objective journalists have removed their brains and are now telling us how we should be obedient and subservient drones in the face of our betters. I know there are hordes of people on every social media platform bullying and in some cases threatening anyone who dares to not conform to their hysterical cult, and I know that the end result of this ghoulish display of ritual and pantomime will be the further entrenchment of reactionary and conservative power which the vast majority of us suffer from. And the worst thing is that we’ll have to do it all again in a few years when Charles pops his clogs.
It's only the media spouting this nonsense though. It's selling a shit load of papers and internet hits.
I walk around the town I work in most days and local radio where here yesterday making a big issue of the display of flowers left in the park. You'd be lucky if there's a dozen bunches! 🙂
As Binners said above - it'll all be forgotten about by Tuesday and we'll be ranting about Liz's emergency budget. And the Daily Mail will be doing a list of top ten Xmas toys that you won't be able to buy as the dock workers are on strike.
I find the whole thing nauseating. A sad reflection of the manipulation and brain washing people allow themselves to fall for. Absolute mugs.
All this fuss and expense because one very old, over privileged human being has died? Embarrassing and cringeworthy. Look at all those brain washed idiots lining the streets, armed to the teeth with their fake condolences and fake tears. All for someone who they've never met, never knew and who did absolutely zero for them.
Then throw in - The whole Royal family thing is wrong on pretty much every level. Anyone with any sort of moral compass should see that.
People haven't got money to heat their homes, millions of homeless people, many ex armed forces, kids going without meals, general poverty getting worse, the nhs is crippled - then we have these bunch of scroungers living a life of luxury using a tax funded tab and claiming to work and 'earn it' just because they show up to the odd event now and again. Biggest so what ever.
Then there's their history which is dubious at best and if we're honest its plagued with criminal and barbaric behaviour. And people celebrate them and boast about it? Warped and perverted, which is kind of ironic.
Roll on next Tuesday when all this nonsense is over.
This thread has been a weird one for sure. I’ve found myself defending people who want to have a discussion. That seems like the whole idea of a forum to me. Not a single thread on here ends as it starts so how anyone, who’s been here more than a week, can think it would just be sad posts and paying respect is beyond me.
I feel empathy for her family (apart from Andrew) but other than that nothing. I’ve enjoyed watching some of the coverage as a sort of extended episode of Brass Eye or something. It’s overkill, surreal and seeing fully grown members of the public, who’ve never met the Queen, crying and being very emotional is just a bit freaky. What state are they in when somebody they actually vaguely know dies.
We’ve no chance of tackling serious issues if the majority of the population goes in to core meltdown when a 96 year old dies. Can’t have come as a great surprise to anybody. That’s a bloody good innings. Wish we could see the same level of passion for climate change. Something that actually does have an impact on everyone!
it’ll all be forgotten about by Tuesday.
But it won't 'cos the Daily Heil will use it as context in every article. You only need to look at the papers in the last 25 years to learn that the ghost of Diana still sells papers. "Oh she was just like us" and all that crap....
What's more of a concern to me is Nicholas Whitchell (sp?). Is he dead? Does he identify as a nacromancer, a zombie, a conduit thru which other people's lives drain away?
Every second he's on TV harvesting the life force of the viewers is a second too long
EDIT - He never used to be like this when he read the news years ago
I will occasionally watch about 10 minutes or so for the entertainment value. I find TV interviews with random royalists on the street particularly amusing, I was gobsmacked at the sight of a grown woman yesterday trying to speak as she was overcome with emotion talking about QE2.
I think me and thee are finally in full agreement on something Ernie. I'm doing the same. I'm utterly mystified by it all so it's strangely compelling (in very small doses). The royal family don't even make it on to my radar so I find it bizarre that people can get so hugely emotional about it. Like you said, grown adults bursting into tears or queueing up all night to file past a coffin is just bonkers.
But if that's your thing, then much as it baffles me, get on with it. Its not doing anyone else any harm
Its mass hysteria. Well known phenomenon
I walk around the town I work in most days and local radio where here yesterday making a big issue of the display of flowers left in the park. You’d be lucky if there’s a dozen bunches! 🙂
The were about three bunches of supermarket flowers lobbed into the moat of Cardiff castle on Saturday afternoon. It looked more like litter than a tribute. (Was it not possible for people to remove the plastic wrapping before leaving them in the moat?) And why choose Cardiff castle? Just because it's a castle and royals own castles therefore any castle will do? Actually thinking about it, they may have been placed there as a tribute to someone who fell from the battlements. Or died crossing the busy road with confusing cycle path markings..
