The BFD | The Queen’s Funeral Is Next

September 18th, 2022.

Since my last letter, a week of mourning has passed. The nation still seems stunned by events and the mourning has taken a sombre tone. Away from the queuing and the accompanying feeling of being part of a festival, the country is very subdued. People are carrying on with their lives, but just in a matter-of-fact way, tinged with a kind of rootlessness (social scientists compare with Weber and Durkheim’s ennui and anomie). The country seems to be drifting along until the funeral after which reality will hit hard.

There have been comparisons made between the “atmosphere” after Diana’s death and that resulting from the death of the Queen. In Diana’s case, there was an outpouring of national grief, of a kind associated with a much-loved sister. In the case of the Queen, the feeling is one of immense sadness and grief but mixed with a huge feeling of gratitude for her service to the nation and a celebration of her life.

The TV coverage on the BBC has been respectful, professional and deferential without resorting to grovelling or obsequiousness. The only contra to this is that perhaps it has been a little too much and people are now exhausted by the blanket coverage. It will be a sense of relief that it finishes tomorrow in a manner that only the British could manage. It will be a wonderful display of pageantry, delivered with respect and honesty and provide a fitting closure to the sad event.

Monday will be a bank holiday and as a mark of respect, the whole country is shut down, with supermarkets being closed and most other shops and hospitality being closed.

The police have had a difficult job, and have mostly delivered it with good humour and professionalism (a major landmark for the Metropolitan Police). Of course, there have been incidents where they have been let down by individual officers, either through ignorance, stupidity or well-intentioned, but incorrect interpretation of the law. There have been a few instances of anti-Royal demonstrators holding up sheets of paper with “Not my King” written on it. The police moved in and moved on the demonstrators, who, unlike the latest trend, were peaceful, albeit a little disrespectful and insensitive. The fact is that although they may have offended a few people and it was not the right time to demonstrate, they were not breaking the law. They may in fact have been placing their own safety in jeopardy given the mood of the surrounding crowds.

This was brought to a head when a barrister demonstrated by holding up a blank sheet of paper. He was moved on by a police officer on the grounds of committing a public nuisance and offensive behaviour. When he asked what was offensive about a blank sheet of paper he was told it was because of what he was thinking of writing on it! This raises obvious questions and whilst it is hilarious it does hint at a worrying trend. The Met apparently came down on the officer concerned like a ton of bricks. Perhaps this should have been done during recent demonstrations in New Zealand. How would Trevor Mallard have reacted to 5,000 people holding up blank sheets of paper!!

My morning started with a cup of coffee, watching the BBC Sunday morning political programme hosted by Laura Kuenssberg, previously political editor of the BBC. My coffee was nearly sprayed all over the kitchen as I watched her interview Jacinda Ardern. It was the most vomit-inducing package of fudge, nonsense and downright misinformation I have seen for a long time. That is probably because

I am in the UK and haven’t seen or heard more than a few TV and radio clips of interviews with her. Laura Kuenssberg performed miracles to keep a straight face and with better research could have had Ardern on the ropes. New Zealand needs someone like her on TV.

For those of you who are interested here is the link to the whole interview. Be aware, that it comes with a health warning!!