Breaking - The Queen is unwell (has died): 8 Sep 2022

Me too, but I guess it was done for safety reasons - people straying onto the line etc.

It’s not yet clear who will be working on the day, but guidance from authorities confirms that each employer needs to make their own decision on whether or not they will give staff the day off. Schools will be closed and it is likely that all government and local authority establishments will be too. Many large stores like John Lewis and Tesco have already said that they will close all day.

Bank holidays, even ‘normal’ ones are not compulsory and many people are expected to work on those days.

My employer has given the staff the poison chalice of deciding for themselves, if they can still fulfil deadlines. To be fair, it’s in response to the fact we’ve already gone down to 4.5 days per week (at the same rate of pay), so my boss thinks he’s given away enough ‘free time’. Most of us are going to work Friday afternoon so we can watch the funeral on Monday morning.

As I’m in the USA with lots of stuff scheduled for later that day (and of course it isn’t a bank holiday there) Myself and a few colleagues will catch the funeral on the morning US time, work that afternoon and take the additional half day in lieu at another time.

Yeah, pretty soon y’all are going to expect a day off for the funeral of every nonagenarian monarch that shuffles off their mortal coil. Harrumph.

There’ll be the Coronation to get through yet. Depending on what day of the week they choose for that, there might be a lot of people taking a very long weekend.

I drove past a police station in suburban Chicago and was surprised and touched to see a squad car (SUV) parked on the lawn draped in black.

Was there anything on that SUV to suggest it was draped in honor of the Queen? I would suspect it would be more likely in honor of an officer in the department who had died.

I just looked at the city’s website and police sub-site and nothing is mentioned. Nothing in the Daily Herald, either. I’ll take a closer look tonight. A grammar school in the same city has their flag at half mast.

The president ordered flags at federal facilities to fly at half-staff in her honor.

That sounds like a particularly hideous sitcom. Even if made by the British.

I’m watching as much of the pomp and ceremony as I can, but I have one question that hopefully someone knows the answer to. Why does Princess Anne wear a military uniform? Was she in the service?

Bloody Hell! The Queen is taking her final journey to London… in the back of a GERMAN CAR!

Royals who are the “Honorary Colonels” of various regiments or naval/air units are entitled to wear their uniform at state ocassions.

Maybe it’s to honor her House of Hanover origins. /s

No, she wasn’t. Edward has also been dressed in military uniform this week, despite not making it out of basic training in the Royal Marines. But ‘working royals’ (ie not Harry and Andrew any longer) have various military patronages and wear military uniform of whichever branch or regiment they represent at various official events.

Ironic, really, that the only two present day royals who have seen active service in a war zone won’t be wearing uniform this week (except apparently at a vigil later this week).

Eh, both RR and Bentley are now German owned anyway. MG and Rover are Chinese owned. The ones who stayed “in the Family” as it were are Indian-owned Jaguar.

Agreed. He was the only POTUS between Truman and Biden, inclusive, whom she never met.

Obligatory BBT link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i_WpYc3YI4

At this point in his career, yeesh, he might even welcome the gig.

SS, please, please, I’m begging you - stop beating yourself up over this!

That was charming. Thank you.

Our local schools all have their flags at half-staff, too.

I wonder if the new King might, in a classy and magnanimous gesture, posthumously restore Diana’s HRH style?

Is there any reason to at this point? I think it’s time everyone moved on from Diana, and most people have.

I’m going to be looking for those dates with my finger poised over skyscanner.