The Queen

[costakid]

Very worrying news about our Queen. For Harry to be travelling to Balmoral it must be serious. Our thoughts are with Her Majesty.

[elusive]

Its what happens if you are lucky enough to get old.!

[Lyric]

RIP Queen Elizabeth, God save the King.

[olive]

More grist to add to the perfect storm.

[gavilan]

maybe if one or more of those palaces/castles were sold ... could contribute to those horrendous heating bills for ordinary people!

[costakid]

maybe if one or more of those palaces/castles were sold ... could contribute to those horrendous heating bills for ordinary people!

no need for that comment at this time.

[Pamela1]

A massive figure and asset, she has made her mark in history and there will not be another like her..RIP

[Lavanda]

Elizabeth has been Queen for my entire life and it is a sad event for me. She was an amazing monarch and someone who always put her country and people first. She will be an almost impossible act to follow.

Yes, there are detractors muttering about 'selling houses' but most of the Crown property belongs to the country and not the Royal Family. They do own Sandringham and Balmoral but are people not allowed to own houses? Eh?

[gavilan]

Lavanda wrote: ' ... She was an amazing monarch and someone who always put her country and people first. ...' I would suggest: '...She represented class, she was the pole around which the whole wretched circus is tented up. She represented white supremacy, not employing colored people herself until late last century, with the crown still being exempt from racial and sexual discrimination laws to this day....'

Lavanda also wrote: but are people not allowed to own houses? ... in 2022 it was estimated there were some 74000 people homeless in UK ... and that number will surely increase with cost of living and energy crisis looming this Autumn

and now we have to watch/wait while thousands of £s are spent on burials and coronations ... and strikes/protests/demonstations re cost of living etc are put on hold ... the year to March 2022 Trussell Trust estimates over 2.1 million emergency food parcels to people in crisis.. ... another number bound to rise this Autumn

always put her country and people first ... just like the current British government does!!!

[chrissiehope]

Gavilan, you are of course entitled to your opinion, but I do feel you are being somewhat harsh

[gavilan]

'harsh' ?! ... tell that to the hungry and homeless in the UK now and in near future ... or to those countries and their people who suffered British Empire rule and are still feeling the effects!

and just in case you still think she 'always put her country and people first ...
https://fortune.com/2022/09/08/who-inhe ... tune-will/

[markwilding]

i don't think Gavilan is being at all harsh and simplistic comments like everyone is entitled to a home when there are many who live on the streets is thoughtless and lightweight, but having said that, it's probably not the right time to bring politics into the thread. (gavilan is not the guilty one and responded to another post)

The Queen's passing is sad because no matter if you are in favour or against the monarchy , she was a part of our cultural lives as there can be very few people living who were adults when she became queen so most of us know nothing else.

What will be interesting is if Charles will get the same respect and whether the press will give him the almost same untouchable status she afforded. It might well be that this is the beginning of the end of our monarchy or on the other hand, we will possibly see if it will carry on as always, modernising and evolving.

This won't be decided by the the older generations but by how the younger ones feel and who might start questioning why The UK has an unelected head of state.

[gavilan]

I think we are in danger of making a saint out of her ... she being around for so long contributes to that feeling ... always there ... but then so has the weather ... and that is not always benign ... we always doff our caps to those seemingly 'higher up' than ourselves ... we think they are role models ... an example for how to live our lives ... so ... take a look at recent/current government ministers ... not many squeaky clean there!!! ,,, and so with the queen ... look behind the public image and you will find ...
https://fortune.com/2022/09/08/who-inhe ... tune-will/
https://fortune.com/2022/09/08/who-inhe ... tune-will/

and beware ... while all our attention is on the pomp and spectacle ...
Now would be the perfect time for slime ball politicians to pass the next piece of unpopular legislation. Escalate the unpopular proxy war. Off the next coup. Push through the next corporate welfare scheme. Ignore the next climate catastrophe or negative economic indicator. Whatever heinous *beep* they have been holding back on…. Now’s the time to unleash it. Because all eyes will be on the people in the fancy hats.

[gavilan]

these were the 2 links I meant to include in last post

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... e-property

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/n ... ise-papers

[costakid]

these were the 2 links I meant to include in last post

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... e-property

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/n ... ise-papers

I think you should show some respect and keep your thoughts to yourself, She hasn't even gone cold.

I bet you are a Meghan fan also.

[gavilan]

if people werent behaving like shell-shocked sheep, I would keep my thoughts to myself ... and if you thought you were going to now have a wonderful new squeaky clean KIng:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... -the-union

[Lavanda]

The Guardian is a left-wing paper and writes for people of that persuasion. If you look at how King Charles has been received in London, maybe you will get the idea that, in spite of many(?) people being homeless etc etc the British people are not Republicans. Even in countries with elected Heads of State there is poverty and want — but I am not going to pursue the blinkin' obvious at this moment in time.

[markwilding]

A few thousand people is not representative of a whole country. Obviously, no republicans will be getting down to Buckingham Palace to welcome the new King so a bit of a useless example.

All I pointed out was that this could be a watershed moment in our history. I don't expect the UK to suddenly find itself overwhelmed by republicans. I would assume that Charles will have a honeymoon period, but it will be interesting to see what people think in a few years.

I should make it clear that I'm not a republican myself. To be quite honest I am not really interested in what they mostly get up to and look on with amusement at people who turn up 24 hours before events in union Jack suits but still enjoy some of the pomp and history but gavilan rebuking your crass post is also valid.

[costakid]

Whatever your thoughts on the Royal family I think its classless to be making snide comments at this time. She was the Queen but also a mother grandmother and I think it is very disrespectful of Gavilan to comment in this way on the day she dies.

[El Cid]

these were the 2 links I meant to include in last post

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... e-property

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/n ... ise-papers

This thread is about the Queen and for members to pay their respects. It is not about politicians and the homeless.

Please stay on topic.

Sid