Patterico's Pontifications

9/8/2022

Buckingham Palace Announces That Queen Elizabeth Has Passed Away

Filed under: General — Dana @ 10:42 am



[guest post by Dana]

Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor born April 21, 1926; died September 8, 2022.

–Dana

96 Responses to “Buckingham Palace Announces That Queen Elizabeth Has Passed Away”

  1. For better or worse, an incredible woman who lived an incredible life for an incredible span of history. I really don’t know how to condense such an enormous life into a post. Suffice it to say, her death certainly represents the end of an era. RIP.

    Dana (1225fc)

  2. ‘I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.’

    On her twenty-first birthday, in a speech broadcast on the radio from Cape Town, The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth.

    Well done, Your Majesty.

    The Queen is dead. Long live the King.

    DCSCA (9e2430)

  3. May she rest in peace.

    She lived through a lot of changes in the world. Not the least of which appointing three women Prime Ministers in her kingdom. The third as (possibly) her last official act.

    nk (b6468c)

  4. Right, nk. It’s so stunning that Churchill was her first PM and he was born in 1874!

    Dana (1225fc)

  5. Wait! She was also Queen of Canada and Canada has also had a woman Prime Minister, Kim Campbell.

    nk (b6468c)

  6. In World War II, she was a truck driver,and did basic maintenance on trucks, enough to get her hands dirty, a detail about her life I’ve always liked. With a rank of “honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service — basically the equivalent of a second lieutenant”. She began as soon as she turned 18, in February, 1945.

    Jim Miller (85fd03)

  7. Having lived in Britain for a number of years- beginning around the time of Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales, the relationship between QE2 and the British people was truly a special thing to behold, particulary from an American POV. Pomp and ceremony aside, this was a truly remarkable woman. Her service during WW2 and the Blitz as a truck mechanic was not show- and she continued to tinker with and drive her Land Rovers for decades- and she loved her many Corgis.

    But for me, the most endearing moment came during the televised 50th anniversary celebrations of D-Day in 1994. Many military bands from various services, UK and the Allies, were playing the usual, traditional marches. But then the USAF band paused and began playing a rousing rendition of Glenn Miller’s ‘In The Mood’- and the Queen visibly lit up, smiled, did a bit of a jitterbug-jig- only for a moment- and applauded along w/t other dignitaries in the stands as the bands played on. It’s forever etched in my memory.

    DCSCA (8752c4)

  8. The ultimate Royalist.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  9. She has a canny sense of humor, too:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AS-dCdYZbo

    DCSCA (8752c4)

  10. ‘I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.’

    Perhaps we could put that somewhere in the oath for public office.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  11. After listening to BBC the last couple hours, she was clearly beloved and she epitomized duty to her country.
    Britons are grieving her passing. RIP.

    Paul Montagu (685e38)

  12. Interesting that she died in a part of the United Kingdom which wishes it wasn’t.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  13. I wonder how long it would take for an independent Scotland to join with something worse?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  14. I wonder how long it would take for an independent Scotland to join with something worse?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/8/2022 @ 12:54 pm

    Like NATO?

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  15. Or the EU?

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  16. It will be interesting to watch the direction the United Kingdom takes after getting a new Prime Minister and a new Monarch all within a few days.

    Knickerbocker Slobbernocker (59afdc)

  17. Bets are already being taken as to how long Truss will last. It doesn’t look good.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  18. Carnegie Mellon professor wishes ‘excruciating pain’ for Queen Elizabeth in her final moments

    “I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying,” Carnegie Mellon University Professor Uju Anya tweeted on Thursday morning in response to reports that Queen Elizabeth was in poor health. “May her pain be excruciating.”

    https://www.thecollegefix.com/carnegie-mellon-professor-wishes-excruciating-pain-for-queen-elizabeth-in-her-final-moments/

    Stay classy, CMU.

    Was offered a scholarship to CMU back in the day; can see my choice to decline was a wise one.

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  19. It will be interesting to watch the direction the United Kingdom takes after getting a new Prime Minister and a new Monarch all within a few days

    Keep calm and carry on is usually the rule of thumb.

    “1066 and all that.” 😉

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  20. @11. The Queen Mother was another gem. The only time we witness any similar outpouring of affection by Brits in London for an American was when Eisenhower died– for obvious reasons. They really admired and respected him. And Churchill’s funeral remains legendary. Our neighbor back in the day was in the Household Calvary at the time in ’65 and paraded in that.

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  21. A woman of uncommon grace.

    John B Boddie (bee833)

  22. Bets are already being taken as to how long Truss will last. It doesn’t look good.

    Kemi Badenoch, with a little more experience.

    One of the least experienced of the candidates, Badenoch is currently fourth favorite after two rounds of votes by her fellow party legislators. She has focused her platform on reducing the role of the state in people’s lives but has promised not to participate in what she calls a “bidding war” with the other candidates to reduce taxes. The former equalities minister, she is considered to be one of the more culturally conservative participants in this leadership contest. She was born in London to parents originally from Nigeria, but spent her childhood back in Nigeria as well as the United States, before returning to Britain for her final two years of high school, at which point she worked at McDonald’s alongside studying.

    https://www.wfae.org/politics/2022-07-16/here-are-the-5-candidates-to-replace-u-k-prime-minister-boris-johnson-as-tory-leader

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  23. Carnegie Mellon professor wishes ‘excruciating pain’ for Queen Elizabeth in her final moments

    Obviously, karma does not worry her.

    As for what the British Empire left, it is a pattern of free democracies. Sometimes less pure than what one would want, but compare them to what the Spanish left behind: A few families own everything.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  24. @23. The irony is she tweeting in this peculiar language, foreign to her ancestors: English.

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  25. I hope the new King Charles III doesn’t end up like Charles I or II, though Charles II is known as the Merry Monarch, “a reference to the liveliness and hedonism of his court,” with the King fathering 12 illegitimate children, but no legitimate heirs.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  26. On his way to Hell, Squinty McStumblebum went to the British Embassy to sign the condolence book on behalf of the U.S. No word on if he farted there, too.

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  27. Deep down, Americans fascinated by royalty, whether they are royals by birth or by celebrity.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  28. Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/8/2022 @ 2:54 pm

    Of course, she lost.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  29. Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 9/8/2022 @ 11:50 am

    Storm the palace.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  30. MEMO to 80 year old Squinty:

    Remember, Joe- things happen in threes:

    First, Gorby. Now Queen Elizabeth II.

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  31. @27. Remember: 1/3 opposed; 1/3 indifferent, 1/3 rebelled.

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  32. Of course, she lost.

    This time. There will be other times. People compare her to Thatcher.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  33. I hope the new King Charles III doesn’t end up like Charles I or II

    Charles I had a bad end, of course. Charles II was a decent king, as kinds of that era go. His son was a rotter and got tossed out (but kept his head).

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  34. First, Gorby. Now Queen Elizabeth II.

    Logically net would be Jimmy or Bill, and my money’s on Jimmy.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  35. Trump himself is no spring chicken.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  36. This was hilarious –a typically American foul up– and a tell of Elizabeth’s sense of humor:

    “I Do Hope You Can See Me Today”

    https://history.house.gov/Blog/2020/May/5-14-Queen-Visit/

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  37. @34. Neither have had multiple brain surgeries and both can walk up stairs.

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  38. A couple of days ago I started re-bingeing The Crown. (If you’re one of the two or three people who hasn’t seen it, do yourself a favor.) So I feel like this is somehow my fault.

    RIP

    lurker (cd7cd4)

  39. I liked The King’s Speech which shows her family as her father is being prepped to replace the soon-to-be-abdicated Edward VIII.

    nk (d227e3)

  40. Jeff Bezos Blasts Professor Who Hoped Queen Elizabeth II Died in ‘Agony’

    https://www.newsweek.com/jeff-bezos-blasts-professor-who-hoped-queen-elizabeth-ii-died-agony-1741279

    DCSCA (08af3e)

  41. @39. Agree. The King’s Speech was great.

    lurker (cd7cd4)

  42. The first Elizabethan Age was a golden age that inspired national pride, international expansion, and naval innovation and triumph. It was the age of Shakespeare, of exploration, the beginnings of colonization in the New World and India, and the defeat of Hapsburg Spain. The second Elizabethan Age saw the British empire dissolve, the disappearance of Britain as a naval power, and Harry Potter.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  43. The second Elizabethan Age saw the British empire dissolve, the disappearance of Britain as a naval power, and Harry Potter.

    Hmmm. Guess you missed a few British Invasions: one led by The Beatles the other, the Royal Navy retaking The Falklands.

    “For the people in the cheaper seats, clap your hands. And the rest of you, just rattle your jewelry.” – John Lennon

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvBCmY7wAAU

    DCSCA (95d11b)

  44. What flabbergasted me — knowing that the first Elizabeth’s mother’s beheading was actually an act of mercy on the part of the King, the usual sentence for High Treason by a woman being burning at the stake — was that Diana remained a Princess Royal and continued to reside at Kensington Palace after the divorce and the publication of all the scandals.

    nk (d227e3)

  45. My grandmother (French, teenager during the war) refused to ever set foot in Germany and once said the reunification of Germany was one of the greatest tragedies of the late 20th century because those families deserved to be separated for all eternity for what they did or allowed to be done(nope, no vengeful grudgeholding at all in my genetics), so if the CM prof is from what used to be Rhodesia or the like, I can’t say that I blame her.

    We all look at things from our own viewpoint. While from my viewpoint she was a courageous young woman, I also think she grievously harmed her family by putting image and professional responsibilities far above the needs of her family members. But in the end, I suspect she did the best she could at the time and I hope she rests in peace.

    Nic (896fdf)

  46. Hee’s what Uju Anya says about herself:

    – Nigerian/Trinidadian professor, Uju Anya recently shared a story of how her mom left her father – In a Twitter thread, she revealed that her mom had moved to Nigeria after they got married and welcomed their first child in England – However, her husband’s infidelity and subsequent marriage to another woman pushed her out to leave him – Anya revealed that her mom took two kids and fled to the United States to start afresh

    Is it true? Almost certainly the Nigerian Trinidadian ancestry. Probably the rest. According to other accounts I’ve read, her father is/was? wealthy. And a practicing polygamist.

    (Glancing at what she does “academically”” I would guess that she has been hired to says things like that tweet, something all too common in Ameican academia, these days.)

    Jim Miller (85fd03)

  47. Here’s the untold story of Queen Elizabeth dancing with Gerald Ford. TYL always enlightens.

    Paul Montagu (753b42)

  48. @47. Who else but Jerry could literally ‘trip the light fantastic.’ 😉

    DCSCA (2d80b0)

  49. Trump himself is no spring chicken.

    But he can cluck coherently. The other’s a turkey who squawks.

    DCSCA (2d80b0)

  50. what a life

    she met trump, and did some other stuff

    JF (b4971a)

  51. Expect a short reign compared to Mummy: King Chuck Cubed is just 6 years younger than Squinty.

    DCSCA (4d1137)

  52. There was no doubt that Liz Truss would be the new PM. Uju Anya and Rishi Sunak may be young and rich (Sunak certainly is) but they don’t look like the voting Tory membership:

    “They’re not as diverse ethnically; they’re heavily concentrated in the south of England; there are significantly more men than women; they’re generally better off; and, although they’re not quite as elderly as some imagine (on average they’re actually in their late 50s even if four-in-10 are over 65), they’re still relatively old.

    “In short, what political scientists call ‘the selectorate’ looks pretty different to the electorate” (said Professor Tim Bale, head of Queen Mary University of London and Sussex University Party Members Project).
    ……..

    63% of Conservative Party members are male, and 37% female

    6% are under 24-years-old, 36% are aged 25 to 49-years-old, 19% are aged between 50 and 64-years-old, and 39% are over 60

    24% backed Remain in the EU referendum, and 76% backed Leave
    ……..
    80% belong to the highest social economic groups known as ABC1

    97% of Conservative members were “white British” (Labor and the Lib Dems are at 96%)

    nearly 40% of Conservative members earn more than the national average, and one in 20 earns more than £100,000 a year ($115,700)…..

    See also here.

    Rip Murdock (9f3047)

  53. Rip Murdock (9f3047) — 9/8/2022 @ 8:18 pm

    Truss is a woman. Sunak is a man

    do you even read what you cut paste here?

    JF (b4971a)

  54. Carnegie Mellon Refuses to Condone Uju Anya Over Queen’s Death Remarks

    Carnegie Mellon university has refused to condone remarks made by one of its academics who wished Queen Elizabeth II “excruciating” pain as she died on Thursday, for ruling a “thieving raping genocidal empire.”

    Dr Uju Anya, a Nigerian-born U.S. professor who teaches applied linguistics, critical sociolinguistics, and critical discourse studies at the Pittsburgh-based college, criticized the late monarch in a barrage of tweets while she was under medical supervision, only hours before her death…

    In a statement posted on its official Twitter account, the university said: “We do not condone the offensive and objectionable messages posted by Uju Anya today on her personal social media account. Free expression is core to the mission of higher education, however, the views she shared absolutely do not represent the values of the institution, nor the standards of discourse we seek to foster.”

    https://www.newsweek.com/carnegie-mellon-refuse-condone-uju-anya-over-queens-death-remarks-1741404

    DCSCA (527b92)

  55. MEMO to CMU

    ‘The Slavery Abolition Act abolished slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. In the territories administered by the East India Company and Ceylon, slavery was ended in 1844.

    Parliamentary reform in 1832 saw the influence of the East India Company decline. Under the 1833 Act, slaves were granted full emancipation after a period of four to six years of “apprenticeship”. Facing further opposition from abolitionists, the apprenticeship system was abolished in 1838. The British government compensated slave-owners.’ -source, BritishEmpirewiki.com

    DCSCA (527b92)

  56. @52:

    6% are under 24-years-old, 36% are aged 25 to 49-years-old, 19% are aged between 50 and 64-years-old, and 39% are over 60

    Conservatives tend to be older? Quick, stop the presses!

    97% of Conservative members were “white British” (Labor and the Lib Dems are at 96%)

    So, what are they saying? Voting is a white thing?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  57. Rip Murdock (9f3047) — 9/8/2022 @ 8:18 pm

    Truss is a woman. Sunak is a man

    do you even read what you cut paste here?

    JF (b4971a) — 9/8/2022 @ 9:00 pm

    Yes-the point is that Sunak et. al. may be rich enough to be Tories, but he (and other politicians from immigrant backgrounds) will never fit in political parties that are more than 95% “white British”. Britain itself is 87% white (compared 57.8% in the US). They will always be outsiders.

    It has nothing to do with gender.

    Rip Murdock (9f3047)

  58. So, what are they saying? Voting is a white thing?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/9/2022 @ 9:18 am

    No, but voting for white candidates is a white thing.

    Rip Murdock (9f3047)

  59. No, but voting for white candidates is a white thing.

    But 2/3rds men voted for a woman? And not for the first time?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  60. And tell that to Sadiq Khan.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  61. Batsh-t. My party is full of batsh-t. Such as Mastriano’s prayer a week before the J6 insurrection, at a gathering organized by Christian Nationalists.

    “God I ask you that you help us roll in these dark times, that we fear not the darkness, that we will seize our Esther and Gideon moments,” the man said, invoking a pair of Old Testament heroes who made themselves instruments of God’s vengeance. “We’re surrounded by wickedness and fear, and dithering, and inaction,” he added, “But that’s not our problem. Our problem is following Your lead.” Looking ahead to Jan 6, the man said: “I pray that… we’ll seize the power that we had given to us by the Constitution, and as well by You, providentially. I pray for the leaders also in the federal government, God, on the Sixth of January that they will rise up with boldness.”

    Paul Montagu (753b42)

  62. Damn. That was meant for the open thread.

    Paul Montagu (753b42)

  63. No, but voting for white candidates is a white thing.

    But 2/3rds men voted for a woman? And not for the first time?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/9/2022 @ 10:38 am

    As I noted, I was talking about race, not gender. And she is white.

    And tell that to Sadiq Khan.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/9/2022 @ 10:40 am

    Khan is mayor of London, which is 43% “white British,” about half the percentage of the total WB population nationally, and was not nominated by the national Labour Party. Apples and oranges.

    Rip Murdock (9f3047)

  64. The BBC Orchestra played the Glenn Miller medley at the 70th anniversary of DDAY. The USAF Band played other American songs.

    DRJ (25ba99)

  65. Along with the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.

    DRJ (25ba99)

  66. @64/65 Actually, that was at the Albert Hall concert series; my reference was to the bands playing outside on the field- believe it was in Portsmouth and televised, if memory serves, – and the band ‘broke protocol’ and did literally ‘swing’ on the field. Have it on videotape off CNN or CSPAN. It was a wonderful display.

    DCSCA (bb99b2)

  67. Jim Miller (85fd03) — 9/8/2022 @ 11:34 am

    She began as soon as she turned 18, in February, 1945.

    That doesn’t sound right. She was born on April 21, 1926 and turned 18, therefore, in April 1944.

    Sammy Finkelman (1d215a)

  68. I heard on Wednesday a snippet (a broadcast teaser) that Queen Elizabeth was in some kind of medical crisis but did not hear more. This did not make the Thursday morning papers.

    She saw Boris Johnson on Monday and saw Liz Truss on Tuesday.

    The decline, therefore, must have been very fast.

    Mo cause of death has been given.

    I have a few questions:

    1. Did Boris Johnson, or someone else, give her an infection?

    2. Was a decision made not to treat? If so, was this per something she had signed, (she maybe didn’t want to live mch longer after her husband died) or was this a decision by death panel? (pneumonia being the “old man’s friend” (Osler) * and so on)

    3. Did any of the treatment she got, such as perhaps morphine, kill her, given the functioning of her kidneys and liver?

    ——————————————————————————————–

    https://pneumonia.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41479-018-0052-7

    Sammy Finkelman (1d215a)

  69. I enjoy your anecdotes from your family’s years in Britain.

    DRJ (25ba99)

  70. #67 Right you are, Sammy. But it does appear that she began as soon as her family would let her.

    (Similarly, George H. W. Bush wanted to enlist immediately after Pearl Harbor, but his family persuaded him to wait until he had finished prep school.)

    Jim Miller (85fd03)

  71. Even though there is a rule that the US flag never be dipped to any foreign leader, the US flag has been ordered to half-staff due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. I suppose it’s legal if the President orders it, but I’m really not sure how I feel about that. When Putin dies, will President Trump accord him the same honor?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  72. The Queen was a truck driver, so she developed some forearms and biceps.
    When I was 16, I had a job that had WWII surplus trucks. I could drive, but that long heavy clutch and steering wheel that fought every move must have been epic for a woman in that place and time

    steveg (f9c809)

  73. #71 Kevin, I accept it as a tip of the hat to a woman who never made a secret of the fact she felt the UK owed the US a tremendous debt of our WWII sacrifice of our young men for the freedom of the UK. She absolutely backed us after 9/11 and in all the misadventures that ensued. She made sure Harry saw combat in our defense.
    She was loyal to the US and took that to her grave

    steveg (f9c809)

  74. Even though there is a rule that the US flag never be dipped to any foreign leader, the US flag has been ordered to half-staff due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. I suppose it’s legal if the President orders it, but I’m really not sure how I feel about that. When Putin dies, will President Trump accord him the same honor?

    Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 9/9/2022 @ 7:56 pm

    I suspect it’s due to the Queen’s extremely long reign, which led to her meeting with Presidents going back to Truman, coupled with the unique relationship between the US and the UK. I doubt we’ll see the same thing happen when Charles passes.

    Factory Working Orphan (2775f0)

  75. @71. =sigh= :

    U.S. FLAGS LOWERED FOR MANDELA, RARE HONOR FOR A FOREIGN LEADER 12/6/13

    President Obama ordered the American flag to fly at half-staff to mourn the passing of Nelson Mandela, putting him in select company that includes Winston Churchill and Pope John Paul II.

    WASHINGTON- When President Obama ordered the American flag to fly at half-staff in honor of Nelson Mandela, it was an honor only rarely bestowed upon a foreign leader.

    President George W. Bush ordered flags to fly at half-staff at the passing of Pope John Paul II in 2005, President Bill Clinton did so for Yitzhak Rabin (1995) and King Hussein of Jordan (1999), and President Ronald Reagan honored Anwar Sadat in 1981, but the historical precedent most often cited is President Lyndon Johnson’s bestowal of the honor in recognition of the passing of Winston Churchill in 1965.

    President Johnson’s act was the topic of front-page articles in newspapers across the country – with many of those articles noting that what was widely touted as a first-ever honor for a foreigner was in a sense bestowed upon at least a half-American, since Churchill’s mother was American. Another point repeatedly made was that Congress had granted the wartime British leader honorary American citizenship.

    https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2013/1206/US-flags-lowered-for-Mandela-rare-honor-for-a-foreign-leader#:~:text=President%20George%20W.%20Bush%20ordered%20flags%20to%20fly,of%20the%20passing%20of%20Winston%20Churchill%20in%201965.

    DCSCA (1f8fbd)

  76. The flag is also supposed to be at half-staff from dawn to dusk on Sunday.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  77. Ir appears that every note and every coin in the UK is going to have to be replaced in the near future to depict the new King.

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  78. The Queen and James Bond open the 2012 Olympics:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AS-dCdYZbo

    Kevin M (eeb9e9)

  79. Ir appears that every note and every coin in the UK is going to have to be replaced in the near future to depict the new King.

    It’s much, much, much, much more of a chore than just money and stamps. “E=R” is on virtually EVERYTHING; lampposts, military uniforms, official seals, police badges and hats, regimental flags, the famed red phone booths and all red ‘pillar boxes’ in the country [the mail boxes], buildings, vehicles, letterhead, all official documents- passports, driver licenses and such, all the measured glassware- like pint and half-pint mugs in pubs w/official measurement marks [the several I’d swiped have E=R literally etched into the glass] food stuffs, even boxes of tea.

    Back in the day in the late 60s, early 70s, before the Brits went to the ‘new pence’ coinage system, we’d often come across very, very old lamp posts still with the “G=R” symbol on them- QE2’s father- and ‘coins of the realm’ still in circulation- mostly shillings and half-crowns w/George VI on them- and even old copper pennies w/Victoria’s profile on it. It’s going to be a pricey project.

    DCSCA (2c4555)

  80. ^… and don’t overlook all the Commonwealth nations- they will have to have their stamps, money and assorted official ‘kitsch’ w/ ‘E=R’ on it replaced as well.

    DCSCA (2c4555)

  81. I don’t see the big deal. It’s not like they take the old money and stamps out of circulation. Some special commemorative editions aside, they just continue minting and printing at the same pace, replacing QE2 designs with KC3 ones for everything minted and printed prospectively. By the end of this century, QE2 coinage should be gone by attrition, the bills and stamps long before then.

    lurker (cd7cd4)

  82. @81. I don’t see the big deal…

    Pfft. Open your eyes: BTW lurker, be sure to lower your 48-star American flag at sunset…

    CASH, STAMPS AND FLAGS: HOW ROYAL SYMBOLS WILL NOW CHANGE

    Unpicking Queen Elizabeth’s name, image and iconography from public life will take some time

    When George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham during the early hours of 6 February 1952, his elder daughter, Princess Elizabeth, then visiting Kenya with her husband, immediately became Queen Elizabeth II. “The same simultaneous process will occur at the death of Queen Elizabeth and assumption of the throne by King Charles III,” Robert Blackburn, a professor of constitutional law at King’s College London, has told parliament. However, after the Queen’s record-breaking reign, unpicking her name, image and iconography from the fabric of national life in the UK and across the Commonwealth will take much longer. These are some of the things that will need to change.

    Flags

    From the flags that fly outside police stations across the UK to the standard used on a naval ship when a general is onboard, thousands of flags emblazoned with EIIR will need to be replaced. Military regiments fly “Queen’s colours”, many of which are studded with a golden embroidered EIIR; the fire service ensign includes her initials and countries where the Queen remains head of state, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, have what flag experts call “E flags” – personal flags for the Queen that are used when she is visiting. It is possible that the royal standard – the quartered flag that flies wherever the monarch is in residence – could also change. The version used by the Queen includes one quarter representing Scotland (a lion rampant), one for Ireland (a harp), and two representing England (three lions passant), but none for Wales. It has been in use since long before Wales had its own national flag, recognised in 1959. The next monarch could incorporate a Welsh element.

    Bank notes and coins

    There are 4.5bn sterling bank notes in circulation with the Queen’s face on them, worth a combined £80bn. Replacing them with alternatives featuring the head of the new monarch is likely to take at least two years. When the latest synthetic £50 notes were issued, the process of recall and replacement took the Bank of England 16 months. When the Queen acceded to the throne in 1952, the monarch was not featured on the banknotes. That changed in 1960 when the face of Elizabeth II began to appear on £1 notes in an image created by the banknote designer Robert Austin, which some criticised as too severe. An image of the new monarch would be agreed with Buckingham Palace. The Queen’s head also features on some $20 banknotes in Canada, on coins in New Zealand, and on all coins and notes issued by the Eastern Caribbean central bank, as well as other parts of the Commonwealth. Coin designs may be changed more slowly if historical precedent is followed: it was common to have different monarchs in your wallet as the changeover in coins happened organically rather than through recall.

    National anthem

    One of the most straightforward changes, in theory, will be switching the words of the national anthem from “God save our gracious Queen” to “God save our gracious King” – although it may take time before large crowds sing the new version with confidence. The anthem has been in use since 1745 when an early version ran: “God save great George our king, Long live our noble king, God save the king.”

    Prayers

    The Queen was the “defender of the faith and supreme governor” of the Church of England, and there are prayers to her in the Book of Common Prayer, which dates from 1662. One asks God to “replenish her with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that she may always incline to thy will, and walk in thy way”. These are expected to be amended to become prayers for the new monarch. This must be done by legislation or a royal warrant and was last done after the Queen Mother died. Priests are also able to amend the prayer for temporary use, which means prayers for the monarch that are commonly said in Sunday services and evensong can quickly be adapted to the new defender of the faith. In services of holy communion contained in the common worship, there is a “collect” for the sovereign that asks God to “rule the heart of thy chosen servant Elizabeth, our Queen and governor, that she may above all things seek thy honour and glory”. This can be changed by the General Synod.

    Royal arms

    The familiar royal arms, which feature a lion and a unicorn rampant against a shield, are used widely on government premises and stationery, and any change would be costly, but it may not be necessary. It would need to change if the new monarch decided to represent Wales on the shield in line with any change to the royal standard.

    Royal warrants

    From the Angostura bitters company in Trinidad and Tobago to the Sussex farrier Zack Treliving, the Queen’s royal warrant currently applies to more than 600 businesses that have a history of supplying the royal household. Brands enjoying the use of the Queen’s arms on their marketing materials include Steinway pianos, Jordans cereals, Gordon’s gin and Swarovski jewellers, as well as plumbers, fence makers, sound engineers, hedge trimmers and flour millers. After the death of the Queen they stand to lose their status, unless they are granted a new warrant by her successor or another member of the royal family who becomes a grantor – potentially a new Prince of Wales. This may not happen quickly. When Prince Philip died, his royal warrant holders were given two years’ grace. A new monarch could decide to adjust the criteria to be met to become a royal warrant holder, for example by increasing the emphasis on sustainability.

    Post boxes and stamps

    Royal Mail postboxes bearing Queen Elizabeth’s royal cypher, ER, are unlikely to be removed. Some with King George VI’s GR cypher remain in use today, 70 years on. Royal Mail, however, will change stamps, with a profile image of the new monarch being used.

    Pledges of allegiance

    MPs are not allowed to sit in the House of Commons, speak in debates, vote or receive a salary unless they pledge allegiance to the crown. Since 1952, the wording has been: “I (name of Member) swear by almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.”

    MPs and peers will have to swear a new oath to her successor. New British citizens are also asked to swear to “bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second, her heirs and successors”, and the Home Office is likely to change that. Cubs and scouts promise to “do my duty to the Queen” while new members of the armed forces swear to “be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors”.

    Commonwealth

    The Queen’s death is a precarious moment for some of Britain’s wider Commonwealth realm, 14 countries of which recognize the monarch as their head of state. In many cases their constitutions state that the Queen, specifically, is the head of state. In these countries, constitutions will need to be amended to refer to her successor. In countries such as Jamaica, where there is a strong republican movement, and Belize, these constitutional changes will also require a referendum, according to Commonwealth experts. This is expected to bring about a moment of political peril for the new monarch, who, after Barbados became a republic in 2021, could face the loss of another prominent part of the Caribbean Commonwealth.

    Questions are also likely to arise in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines over whether the new monarch could lawfully appoint a governor general, if the relevant country’s constitution has not been changed to refer to the King, and continues to refer to the Queen as head of state. The Queen’s name is also stitched into myriad other laws that will require redrafting, neither an easy nor a cheap process, especially for smaller countries that do not employ their own legislative drafters. Among the constitutional monarchies, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have measures in place so the new monarch automatically becomes head of state.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/08/queen-death-cash-stamps-flags

    DCSCA (f0be40)

  83. I think DCCCP does great queen coverage….if only this became his focus for the next couple of years. Everything we want to know about the Royals…it would really unlock his talent

    AJ_Liberty (242c56)

  84. Yeah, like I said, in the overall scheme of things, BFD.

    lurker (cd7cd4)

  85. @84. I don’t see the big deal.

    Yeah– like you said. Be sure you fold your 48 star flag properly.

    DCSCA (f0be40)

  86. @83. You’re in luck, Agarn; you and lurker don’t need to remove your Trump bumperstickers, either. 😉

    DCSCA (f0be40)

  87. EIIR replacement will be as extensive a change in terms of logistics for the UK as Decimalization was back in ’71. Went through it.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_Day#:~:text=Decimal%20Day%20in%20the%20United%20Kingdom%20and%20in,pence%20%28old%20pennies%29%2C%20a%20total%20of%20240%20pence.

    DCSCA (f0be40)

  88. Yeah it’s well-known that the 1960 recession was caused by the economic trauma of manufacturing 50 star flags.

    lurker (cd7cd4)

  89. @88. OIC- you’re a 46 star flagger. 😉 Keep digging; after all, “it’s not a big deal.”

    DCSCA (f0be40)

  90. Biden will not travel with a delegation to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral

    Buckingham Palace did not invite President Joe Biden to assemble a delegation to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II next week, and instead extended a specific invitation for only the President and first lady, a White House official told CNN.

    The White House announced Sunday that Biden had formally accepted the invitation and would be accompanied by the first lady.

    You can guess why, I think. They don’t want him to bring Trump. That’s the only way he could attend as a former President.

    nk (4f452c)

  91. I agree, AJ_Liberty. Very informative.

    My little neighborhood market has the flag at half-staff and I love them even more for doing so.

    Dana (1225fc)

  92. 4 U.S. Code § 7 – Position and manner of display

    (m)

    The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law.Click the link for the whole thing. I think any confusion may be from the rule that “the Flag does not salute”. It is not dipped when marching past VIPs and the troops “Eyes right!”.

    nk (4f452c)

  93. 4 U.S. Code § 7 – Position and manner of display

    (m)

    The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law.Click the link for the whole thing. I think any confusion may be from the rule that “the Flag does not salute”. It is not dipped when marching past VIPs and the troops “Eyes right!”.

    Sorry for the duplication. Put it down to respect for the subject and lack of comment preview.

    nk (4f452c)

  94. And it still didn’t work.

    nk (4f452c)

  95. I think DCCCP does great queen coverage….if only this became his focus for the next couple of years. Everything we want to know about the Royals…it would really unlock his talent

    AJ_Liberty (242c56) — 9/10/2022 @ 6:02 pm

    Who knew he was such a royalist?

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8)

  96. @95. =yawn= Pfft. Respect for the legacies of centuries of tradition was something the once taught even to U.S. military grunts. If America manages to turn 1,000 years old, get back to the rest of the adults on the planet.

    DCSCA (3e67b9)


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