[Misc] Who on here has been to walk past the Queen's coffin?

[DavidinSouthampton]

Got a prime spot outside Horse Guards and stood for 7 hours before the gun carriage went past on Wednesday. Swiftly went to the south bank to queue for just over 6 hours before the lying in state. Do not regret one single second in paying my respects to, who I consider, will go down in history as one of our greatest Monarchs. I'm not surprised at the woke generation majority on NSC who appear to be at odds with the patriotic majority of the country.

I read an article today which indicated that support for the monarchy is consistently far, far lower amongst 18-24 year olds than it is among the over 65’s. So they are obviously the woke generation.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Got a prime spot outside Horse Guards and stood for 7 hours before the gun carriage went past on Wednesday. Swiftly went to the south bank to queue for just over 6 hours before the lying in state. Do not regret one single second in paying my respects to, who I consider, will go down in history as one of our greatest Monarchs. I'm not surprised at the woke generation majority on NSC who appear to be at odds with the patriotic majority of the country.

Look at me.

 

[Smillie's People]

I did it yesterday. Joined the back of the queue at 05:30, entered the hall at 16:45. I have got to say that I found it quite a moving experience. The queue itself sounds daunting but it was a lovely atmosphere, you spoke to lots of people you would normally just have passed on the street, it went through some of the nicer bits of London and for me the various injuries (like the back) stood up to it.

For me it was very worthwhile, I appreciate it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I am very glad I did it. Had the queue times been what they are now I would probably have had a lie in instead!

I would have done it (I did the Queen Mother's laying-in-state in 2002) but health now not what it was. Instead I did a 90-minute queue for a jab in Newhaven library this lunchtime and managed to get into an argument about the merits of certain shops in Seaford plus the merits of our last PM.
The thought of spending 24 hours standing next to someone with diametrically opposite views on life does not appeal, but the lady concerned did call me a "Grumpy Old Man." Before we started arguing...

 

[Smillie's People]

The word Queue seems a bit of a waste of 4 vowels

Without them, might be an exploding coffin...

 

[Smillie's People]

Nearly 2.30, and you can just walk in at Newhaven now.. if eligible of course.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I think the longer the queueing time the greater the demand will be. The longer the queue the bigger the sacrifice. And who doesn't want to make a big sacrifice for Her Majesty after what she's done for this country?!?

It doesn't get any more British than this. The people who queued for 14 hours will be the toast of the bowls clubs, the golf club, the Women's Institute. They will return to the shires and Home Counties like victorious soldiers from overseas with a story to tell for the rest of their lives.

Sly dig at the older generation suggested by Women's Institute, Golf Clubs and Bowls clubs? The age groups are clearly all ages but otherwise I'm sure the overall premise is right. Everyone will be telling everyone they know about the day they went to London and queued to see their Queen lying in State at Westminster Hall. Probably for the rest of their lives.

 

[Icy Gull]

Definitely going to be an “I was there” moment for decades

 

[The Clamp]

I’m not being facetious but a genuine question; What is the reason people feel the urge to to and see the coffin? I really don’t get it.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Definitely going to be an “I was there” moment for decades

For people who need validating by their fellow man? Why else would they need to proclaim 'I was there'? Surely they're doing it for themselves, no one else...

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Work collegue has just left the office in Sussex to drive up. Due back at work 0700hrs tomorrow.

 

[wuntbedruv]

I’m not being facetious but a genuine question; What is the reason people feel the urge to to and see the coffin? I really don’t get it.

You don't get to see "The Coffin" you queue for hours to be able to say "I was there" and look at a big flag covering something on top of a purple plinth.

If anyone ever feels the need to visit the resting place of a great national leader, may I suggest Lenin's Tomb. You get to see the actual coffin, a Glass one and the preserved remains of the man inside.

 

[Guinness Boy]

You don't get to see "The Coffin" you queue for hours to be able to say "I was there" and look at a big flag covering something on top of a purple plinth.

If anyone ever feels the need to visit the resting place of a great national leader, may I suggest Lenin's Tomb. You get to see the actual coffin, a Glass one and the preserved remains of the man inside.

Nothing says "ROAD TRIP!" like a trip to a despotic war mongering state to see an old, dead communist's corpse.

 

[Bakero]

You don't get to see "The Coffin" you queue for hours to be able to say "I was there" and look at a big flag covering something on top of a purple plinth.

If anyone ever feels the need to visit the resting place of a great national leader, may I suggest Lenin's Tomb. You get to see the actual coffin, a Glass one and the preserved remains of the man inside.

I've been to see Uncle Ho in Hanoi several times. Now there was a leader that really did serve his country.

 

[amexer]

My neighbour has just rung. Nearly there 16hours

 

[wuntbedruv]

Nothing says "ROAD TRIP!" like a trip to a despotic war mongering state to see an old, dead communist's corpse.

I wouldn't make the effort either but at least you actually see something.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I’m not being facetious but a genuine question; What is the reason people feel the urge to to and see the coffin? I really don’t get it.

Pay respects. It’s an old concept.
People used to stand still when a hearse passed them. Men used to remove their hats etc.

 

[nicko31]

You don't get to see "The Coffin" you queue for hours to be able to say "I was there" and look at a big flag covering something on top of a purple plinth.

If anyone ever feels the need to visit the resting place of a great national leader, may I suggest Lenin's Tomb. You get to see the actual coffin, a Glass one and the preserved remains of the man inside.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum In Hanoi is recommended too, about 30 minute queue when I visited.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I read an article today which indicated that support for the monarchy is consistently far, far lower amongst 18-24 year olds than it is among the over 65’s. So they are obviously the woke generation.

Yet the number of obviously under 24yr olds in a real time queue suggests otherwise. And why stop at the over 65's. Absolutely every age group, colour and creed is in the queue to pay their respects. Sometimes real life is a better guide than the media social or traditional.

 

[Bakero]

Pay respects. It’s an old concept.
People used to stand still when a hearse passed them. Men used to remove their hats etc.

But it's not someone they knew or someone that did great things to benefit society. What I struggle to understand is just what she did to command the respect of hundreds of thousands of people.

For someone like you, Thunder Bolt, with a social conscience, I can't get my head around the reverence for the epitomy of inequality and privilege.

 

[hart's shirt]

I’m not being facetious but a genuine question; What is the reason people feel the urge to to and see the coffin? I really don’t get it.

Here's a link to a short article I found interesting about the possible reasons why.

It's well worth a read whatever one's views on the monarchy are.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/sep/15/crowd-behaviour-london-mourning-queen

Stephen Reicher is a professor of psychology at the University of St Andrews, a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an authority on crowd psychology.

"The first thing we have learned is that any attempt to reduce crowd participation to a single, universal motivation is a distortion. People come along for many different and mixed reasons, not all of which involve allegiance to the monarchy."