RIP HM Queen Elizabeth ll

[Grovenor]

Charles 3rd has been officially announced as his choice.

[SteveyDee68]

I conducted a brass band for the occasion of Her Majesty opening the Metrolink Station in Bury.
 

Unbeknown to me, as she walked past she paused for a while to listen as my band were playing a selection of music, “Great British Marches”. Already known as a bit of a “flamboyant” conductor (I like to move around a bit!), the band’s Secretary stood with her heart in her mouth as she realised that our Monarch had stopped only a couple of feet behind me, expecting me to (unwittingly) step back at any moment and knock her over!!

 

Thankfully, I did not become known as “that twit that knocked the Queen over” and she moved on into the Town Hall for the reception.

 

Afterwards, as she left, she addressed us all and I remember her words verbatim as she smiled upon us - “You are the musicians who played beautifully outside, aren’t you?” 

 

A proud moment.

 

RIP Your Majesty

Edited September 8, 2022 by SteveyDee68
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[RANGERS]

We’ve seen Governments and PMs come and go, so even though they’re on a similar scale constitutionally, I, like the vast majority of the population of this country (and fifteen others), have never known anything other than one Monarch, a constant underpinning the turbulence that is life in the 20th and 21st Century.

 

The loss is incomprehensible at the moment, it’ll take a while for it to sink in, such had become the expectation that she would always be there.

 

Life goes on, but somehow I don’t think it’ll ever be quite the same again.

 

RIP ma’am, we were honored to have had you, and probably for longer than we deserved, God Save The King

 

 

[Colin_McLeod]

RIP Ma'am

 

[Allegheny1600]

Possibly the greatest and certainly the longest serving monarch this country has ever had.

RIP your majesty.

Long live King Charles.

[Legend]

Not really a Royalist but I was a fan of the Queen. There is no doubt she served our country well . So sad at her passing .Being 60 she has been on the throne all my life . I know its in my head , but waking up this morning the country just feels different , that steady hand of stability gone . Truly the end of an era .

 

God bless her .

[AY Mod]

When the news broke at lunchtime yesterday regarding the concerns I feared the worst, especially with the family gathering, but I was still taken aback by the news at 6.30, especially so soon after the cheerful pictures from two days ago - still carrying out her service to the role. It was a punch, one that brought home that this was a moment in history; a very sad one. No matter what we have thought of our political leaders, how concerned we were about the future with Covid and so on there was always a seemingly invulnerable constant; our Queen. A queen who harmed no-one and was prepared to serve everyone within the role as monarch; she was 'our' Queen. I also thought of those who have served her and the country and what they have done in protection of her realm. The changes she saw, the changes she didn't resist and changes she helped happen. It's right that people have striven for equality, all whilst our Queen showed that she has probably been our greatest monarch ever; we had the world's greatest 'statesman' all along. Yes; it hurts but as the Queen said after 9/11, "Grief is the price we pay for love."

 

The forum has a black header bar as a mark of respect which will remain until after the funeral. I did cock things up slightly in the rush so Gold and Premium users may see ads but there's an instruction at the top of every page for those users. Someone thought they would be clever last night with anti-monarchy comments; it really isn't the time to do so and it lacks respect for others so I will make it clear that if anyone else tries that access to the site will be removed.

[Northroader]

Thanks for the black header, Andy, I think it is most apt, and a good mark of respect. It has struck me that in the end, everything happened so speedily, she looked frail earlier in the week handling the PMs transition, but the announcements re receiving doctors care, family going to Balmoral, and then her death, all followed  very quickly after each other. I feel that this is something to be thankful for, no long drawn out illness or suffering, and a clean transition of power. Even so, very sad to see her go.

[Dunsignalling]

 

It's been E II R since I was six days old, and adjusting to the "new boy" is going to take a while.   

 

Farewell Ma'am and Long Live the King, he has his work cut out to follow you.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[Oldddudders]

14 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

Someone thought they would be clever last night with anti-monarchy comments; it really isn't the time to do so and it lacks respect for others so I will make it clear that if anyone else tries that access to the site will be removed.

Well done. We can't all be royalists, but in a period when the nation is in sudden and unexpected mourning is not the time to be making alternative views known. The Queen was respected, liked or loved by the vast majority. They deserve to be allowed to mourn with dignity.

 

About 40 years ago I recall an 08 shunter sitting idling in Hither Green Up Sidings, outside the Continental Depot.Writ large on the side in chalk was "EIIR Rules OK!"

 

I am two days older than the new King. 

[GeoffAlan]

I am, by inclination a republican*. However experience of politicians past and present has taught me that our constitutional monarchy had/has great benefits. Not only didn't we get a President Thatcher, or Blair, but will be spared Presidents Johnson, Truss and Starmer. 

 

Elizabeth II was my second monarch and Charles III is my third. I expect/hope he will prove to be as worthy a King as his mother was Queen.

 

* No, not in the American sense, by any means.

[Ryde-on-time]

A sad day remembering someone who served their country to the end. It's nice also to remember the good stories about her life and this is a favorite

 

 

[RANGERS]

2 minutes ago, Ryde-on-time said:

A sad day remembering someone who served their country to the end. It's nice also to remember the good stories about her life and this is a favorite

 

 

I wonder if anyone ever did point out to him who he'd met?

[ColHut]

Agreed.

 

A sad day .  She certainly got about, and I recall her last visit here taking the time to wave even on the non official bits to the workers.

 

The Queen is dead.  Long live the King.

 

regards

[Steven B]

I'd echo Paddington's words: "Thank you, Ma'am, for everything".

 

For 70 years she performed a public role with remarkably few hick-ups along the way. Daughter of the second in line to the throne I'd imagine that as a child it was role she never considered she'd devote her life to. It's remarkable to think that her first and last Prime Ministers were born 101 years apart.

 

I can't begin to think how the Royal family are feeling at the moment, Charles in particular is having to take on a new role with immediate public duties whilst coping with the death of his mother.

 

Steven B.

 

[Re6/6]

[Nick Gough]

Current events have reminded me of my late father's memories from 70 years ago, during his National Service.

 

At the time dad was stationed at RAF Felixstowe - a flying boat base which was located within the area of what is now the Port of Felixstowe.

 

One cold February morning, in 1952, he was one of a party of 'erks' detailed to clear snow from the slipways to allow operations to commence.

 

In the midst of this they were hurriedly reassembled to from an impromptu guard of honour to welcome the arriving King of Norway, who was en route to London and the late King's funeral.

 

RIP your majesty.

Long live the King.

[britishcolumbian]

I cried a lot, in brief bursts, throughout the day yesterday, not because I'm a monarchist (which I staunchly am) but because Elizabeth was such an amazing person. Everything that can be said has been, so I won't, but: the last time I felt this emotionally overwhelmed was when my uncle passed seven years ago now. The Queen passing feels like I've lost a family member again. (It occurred to me my uncle lived his entire life within her reign, he was born 8 months after Coronation...)

 

I'm old enough that when I started Grade One, 41 years ago this week, we started every day at school singing O Canada and God Save the Queen... it's gonna take a lot of getting used to saying "God Save the King".

[Hroth]

@AY Mod @Northroader

 

I got the feeling something was adrift when BBC1 completely dropped its afternoon schedule, Hwu Edwards appeared in dark jacket and black tie and OB camera streams from Buckingham Palace and Balmoral went on air.  Although we weren't told officially until late afternoon that the Queen had passed away, I got the feeling that it was known far earlier that she was failing rapidly.

 

The black header and general air of respect by the vast majority of posters is heartening. Well done.

 

 

[D9020 Nimbus]

The Queen has seen enormous change during her reign. Throughout she has remained dignified, served the country exceptionally well, and been respected throughout the world — even by many who may have disagreed with the institution of monarchy. In some way the nation seems diminished by her passing.

 

It will seem strange to hear "God Save the King" — Elizabeth II was Queen when I was born. 
 

In a time of instability and change — during most of her reign — she stood as an icon of stability. Rest in peace, Ma'am.

[tomparryharry]

19 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

Proud to be an Elizabethan.

 

Same here.

[Chris116]

In 2001 my American then fiancee, now wife, was on her first visit to London. She wanted to see Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard. We were in the big crowd and enjoyed the spectacle. We had noted that the Queen had a morning engagement in North London and an afternoon engagement in South London. This made us think that she would drop in home for lunch and with the crowds gone I asked one of the policemen if the Queen was expected. The policeman said he could not tell me the answer to my question but he did confirm that 'if' she came home for lunch then she would enter by the gate we were standing near to.

 

A few minutes later the police radios burst into life and shortly after the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in a short motorcade. The car stopped next to where we were standing and both the Queen and the Duke looked at us and waved. They were off duty but still were looking out for her subjects and tourists. I was already a royalist but that event made me even more devoted to the only monarch I had ever known until Thursday evening this week.

 

Thank you for all you did for your country Queen Elizabeth II. Long live King Charles III.

Edited September 11, 2022 by Chris116
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[big jim]

King Charles address to the nation has just hit me hard, sat here in floods of tears when he thanked his ma’ma!

watch the video but please don’t read the replies, some vile sick people out there 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2022 by big jim

[Re6/6]

Hearing the piper's very haunting lament at the St Pauls service did bring a tear to my eye.

[Phil Bullock]

21 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

Proud to be an Elizabethan.

 

With you on that one!

 

I have never seen another monarch. She has done all she promised and more . Thank you Your Majesty.

 

From what I gather the arrangements might be a lying in state in Edinburgh then a transfer to London for a similar event. I hope those organising events are able to ensue a transfer by rail rather than by air…. A chance for many to pay their respects en route.

 

A very fitting loco currently has a main line ticket …. iIRC Britannia brought her father back to London when he passed at Sandringham. And what headboard could be more fitting than The Elizabethan?