RIP HM Queen Elizabeth II

[MacMadame]

I find all of it morbid. Instructions to my kids is no funeral, absolutely no burial. Just the thought of that is cringeworthy. I belong to a Memorial Society. Cremation is already paid for. I asked my kids to take me to the mountains and spread my ashes there. I'll be more than happy.

I told my husband to do whatever made him happy, as long as he didn't spend too much, because I'll be dead and won't care.

 

[PRlady]

In Jerusalem it’s customary to have the funeral the same day as the death. This is specific to Jerusalem although there are sometimes same-day burials elsewhere in Israel.

I’m in favor of fast funerals but same-day is strange, people drop everything and come in shorts or jeans or what-have-you. Even if the funeral waits a day or two for long-distance relatives to come, there’s a thrown-together quality. Then everyone comes visits the family for a week for the shiva…

I also find this prolonged period before the actual burial strange, but I’m not a British Christian…

BTW Palestinian Muslims also bury as soon as possible.

 

[Vagabond]

I find all of it morbid. Instructions to my kids is no funeral, absolutely no burial. Just the thought of that is cringeworthy. I belong to a Memorial Society. Cremation is already paid for. I asked my kids to take me to the mountains and spread my ashes there. I'll be more than happy.

I told my husband to do whatever made him happy, as long as he didn't spend too much, because I'll be dead and won't care.

In Jerusalem it’s customary to have the funeral the same day as the death. This is specific to Jerusalem although there are sometimes same-day burials elsewhere in Israel.

Back in the shtetls, it was likewise customary to bury the dead on the same day. Family legend has it that the sun set late the day that my great-great-grandfather died so that he could be buried before Shabbos.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, I have already made arrangements for my casket to lie in state at Westminster Abbey.

 

[ballettmaus]

Wakes, funerals are indeed for the survivors and closure. Queen Elizabeth was millions of people's monarch. The time of public mourning.is necessary - but it has/will take it's toll on her family.

I think the public mourning is fine. I don't get it but if people have to... But I don't think the family needs to mourn in public. If the members of the family like to be, let them be part of the procession, and/or have them receive the coffin - but only if they like to be - have five days or so of public mourning while the family stays out of sight and can mourns in private then hold a memorial service with a private burial.
But times have changed. There's no need for a vigil and there's also no need for members of the royal family to be seen in public at this event or that almost every single day.

 

[skatfan]

Queen Elizabeth’s death operates at a couple of levels. The first is as a matriarch of a family - and her family, will, I hope, have an opportunity to grieve privately after the public mourning period is over. I’m wondering if her interment at Windsor castle will be a private affair for the family.

Her death also signals a change in the crown, a public institution, and so there are necessarily a number of public duties connected to it - meeting with UK and world leaders, etc. The family, especially the new king and queen and the Wales’s, has to project continuity especially since the UK is facing a number of crises.

I used to think I wanted to be cremated but it’s not good for the environment so I’m leaning toward green burial.

 

[MsZem]

In Jerusalem it’s customary to have the funeral the same day as the death. This is specific to Jerusalem although there are sometimes same-day burials elsewhere in Israel.

I’m in favor of fast funerals but same-day is strange, people drop everything and come in shorts or jeans or what-have-you. Even if the funeral waits a day or two for long-distance relatives to come, there’s a thrown-together quality. Then everyone comes visits the family for a week for the shiva…

That's just Israelis being Israelis. The British weren't here long enough to have an effect and Queen Elizabeth never visited.

When Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, he was was shot late on November 4th and the funeral was the afternoon of the 6th, which was definitely fast for all the world leaders and VIPs to get here.

 

[Deleted member 221]

I will say that the British do pomp and circumstance better than anyone, and this whole spectacle in a weird way seems to be helping the country's mood.

In an ideal scenario, the historic combination of new Prime Minister plus new monarch will be a desperately needed reboot / kick in the ass after what has been a terrible 5-7 years for the country.

In a less ideal scenario, this will accelerate the country's recent decline, and the King Charles pound will soon be worth less than a dollar. Let's hope not.

 

[marbri]

Currently watching William and Charles greeting people waiting in the queue to view the queen and it really stands out to me how overwhelmed Charles seems with the whole thing versus William (who really seems to have his mothers ability to connect with who he is talking to at the time). In Charles defence he seems to have a much more jittery security detail than William has but I do think William is still better at this.

As for funerals in general in Canada my family are definitely influenced by the Irish wake/funeral. Here it's more flexible and will delay for some time for a variety of reasons.

 

[Parsley Sage]

I've always thought the ceremonial aspects are for the living, so they can share their grief and gain support from others who are grieving, get some closure. During covid I lost a few relatives and going without funerals has been awful. Feels like limbo, you know?

My Aunt passed away last month at the age of 95. The importance of grieving and supporting each other was the topic of the minister's lesson during the service.

 

[Judy]

Currently watching William and Charles greeting people waiting in the queue to view the queen and it really stands out to me how overwhelmed Charles seems with the whole thing versus William (who really seems to have his mothers ability to connect with who he is talking to at the time). In Charles defence he seems to have a much more jittery security detail than William has but I do think William is still better at this.

As for funerals in general in Canada my family are definitely influenced by the Irish wake/funeral. Here it's more flexible and will delay for some time for a variety of reasons.

There’s nothing wrong with a Irish wake/funeral. We had one with my nanny when she passed. I was really young - no alcohol for the kids - but I remember it being fun. My memories are vague now but I always had this memory of it being fun.

 

[Sylvia]

BBC News' livestream as the Queen's grandchilden arrive for their vigil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQYBO8P7gLE

 

[MsZem]

Really great thread about adventures in queuing

Thread by @NowThenSunshine on Thread Reader App

@NowThenSunshine: There are very few people I’d do this for. But it seems I’m on the train to London to join a very long overnight queue with my dear old Mum. Here comes a rolling thread...

threadreaderapp.com

 

[Karen-W]

Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie have issued one of the most heartfelt, bittersweet statements to their Grannie. Brought me to tears.

https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1571167438825291778?t=bmre1mjY2EwJrMtvuZTLSg&s=19

 

[MLIS]

The grandchildren’s vigil was extremely moving. Particularly glad to see the granddaughters have a moment to officially honour their grandmother, instead of simply standing on the sidelines. Beautifully done, she would be so proud of them.

 

[victorskid]

The grandchildren’s vigil was extremely moving. Particularly glad to see the granddaughters have a moment to officially honour their grandmother, instead of simply standing on the sidelines. Beautifully done, she would be so proud of them.

The video is available on the Royal Family's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdmrozeuQSw

 

[ballettmaus]

It may be a bit of a weird question but how do they prevent the Queen's body from starting the decomposition process? I'm assuming the body was embalmed and a church is fairly cool but the people should make it warmer and the Queen is lying in state for quite a long time.

 

[Amy L]

It may be a bit of a weird question but how do they prevent the Queen's body from starting the decomposition process? I'm assuming the body was embalmed and a church is fairly cool but the people should make it warmer and the Queen is lying in state for quite a long time.

AFAIK, you can use certain mixtures/techniques that can pretty much pickle a body, especially since the casket is closed there's no concern of her not looking like herself anymore. Plus regular embalming lasts a much longer time than people think. If you don't mind squicky topics like that, I suggest Ask a Mortician on YouTube, she's very informative and detailed, but in a fun (if morbid) way.

 

[skatfan]

It may be a bit of a weird question but how do they prevent the Queen's body from starting the decomposition process? I'm assuming the body was embalmed and a church is fairly cool but the people should make it warmer and the Queen is lying in state for quite a long time.

As I understand it’s a lead-lined hermetically sealed casket/coffin.

 

[once_upon]

Dad was held for 3.5 weeks in the mortuary and we had an open casket before they sent the body to the Med Center as he was donating his body to science.

The Med Center gave them specifics instructions on embalming. I assume they do special measures to keep the body from decomposing over the 18 months they had him

There are techniques to be done.

 

[Deleted member 221]

It's not known whether the Queen was embalmed. Some of the Royals don't like the practice. Didn't Elizabeth I explode in her coffin after being embalmed?

As both I and skatfan wrote, it is a lead-lined coffin with a special seal.

 

[Ananas Astra]

Currently watching William and Charles greeting people waiting in the queue to view the queen and it really stands out to me how overwhelmed Charles seems with the whole thing versus William (who really seems to have his mothers ability to connect with who he is talking to at the time). In Charles defence he seems to have a much more jittery security detail than William has but I do think William is still better at this.

This was absolutely heartwarming: https://twitter.com/cathstay/status/1569242310638014464
I wish William became King right after his grandmother, but well...

I don't really care for the British Royals, but Elizabeth II has ALWAYS been there, so now it's kinda weird to see Charles as King (and Camilla as Queen Consort ).

Oh and the entire "The Queue" thing amuses me to no end.
Just wait for a British RomCom in the style of "Love Actually" to come out in the next couple of years about couples finding each other in The Queue starring Keira Knightley, Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Emma Thompson etc.

Since I am home with the flu now I will also get to watch the funeral ceremony tomorrow.

 

[Ananas Astra]

It's not known whether the Queen was embalmed. Some of the Royals don't like the practice. Didn't Elizabeth I explode in her coffin after being embalmed?

As both I and skatfan wrote, it is a lead-lined coffin with a special seal.

I read an interview with a German embalmer yesterday and he said that it is very common in the UK to embalm the dead, so he assured the readers that Lilibet was embalmed, indeed.

ETA: Another article https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1670661/queen-preserved-embalmed-lying-in-state-spt

 

[ballettmaus]

I wish William became King right after his grandmother, but well...

I don't disagree with the sentiment but don't forget what that would mean for him. I think he and his family deserve a few more years of living in the "shadows" of his father.

 

[Deleted member 221]

I read an interview with a German embalmer yesterday and he said that it is very common in the UK to embalm the dead, so he assured the readers that Lilibet was embalmed, indeed.

Your article says this:

There has been no confirmation of whether Queen Elizabeth II opted to be embalmed or not. Given that royals are traditionally buried in lead-lined coffins, the procedure may not be necessary. The lead-lining helps preserve the body for longer after its burial in a crypt.

Lead is said to make the casket airtight, helping to stop moisture from getting in and therefore slowing down the decomposition of the body.

I don’t think anyone can say QE2 was definitely embalmed. It would’ve been her choice, and we have no information on what she chose.

 

[Ananas Astra]

This is awesome. Had me in pieces .

 

[Vagabond]

Oh and the entire "The Queue" thing amuses me to no end.
Just wait for a British RomCom in the style of "Love Actually" to come out in the next couple of years about couples finding each other in The Queue starring Keira Knightley, Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Emma Thompson etc.

Helen Mirren is The Queue.

 

[Parsley Sage]

A Canadian couple met while travelling to London for the Queen's Coronation.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/queen-elizabeth-coronation-windsor-1.6582669

 

[attyfan]

... Didn't Elizabeth I explode in her coffin after being embalmed?
...

FWIW, I read that Henry VIII exploded in his coffin (after embalming), but not Elizabeth I.

 

[Judy]

Can we change the subject? This is morbid.

 

[allezfred]

Can we change the subject? This is morbid.

This is a thread about the death of someone….