KING AND COUNTRIES BURY QUEEN WITH FITTING BRITISH POMP, PAGEANTRY AS MILLIONS WORLDWIDE WATCH TV SPECTACLE
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
After a morning of mourning — it’s E-II-R.I.P.
Canadians who got up five hours early today shared a memorable TV spectacle.
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral was a fitting celebration of life full of pomp and pageantry as only the British can muster with centuries of empiricism.
Including a 96-gun salute.
For six hours Monday the late monarch united her kingdom. Across the Commonwealth and around the globe it was the same above and below the equator in all hemispheres.
But in the British heartland where Elizabeth Regina was finally laid to rest it showed just how clearly dearly departed she is.
In a moving tribute stretching 11 days from Balmoral to Buckingham Palace, Westminster to Windsor, millions worldwide witnessed how a civil society pays respect to a woman deserving of such ceremonial solemnity. The long drive was followed finally this morning by the long walk at Windsor Castle.
Half the world’s leaders — Kings, Queens, presidents, prime ministers — gathered to say so in sombre prayer. It was like a wedding where you confess your love before friends and family.
U.S. President Joe Biden was barely acknowledged sitting hidden amongst a sea of black-suited contemporaries past and present.
Pitch-perfect bands aside, it was left to her subjects and admirers from abroad to herald her with sustained applause, as her Royal hearse passed her over London’s tube and appropriately along rural roads thronged with well-wishers cheering her homecoming.
The Queen did long reign over us — 70 years, fulfilling her coronation promise to serve until death.
Her crown, orb and sceptor were removed from her coffin to be presented to her son upon his coronation — date to be determined.
King Charles (C-III-Rex), his 70-year apprenticeship over, appears to have learned his lessons well from his sovereign “Mummy” mentor.
Stoic, solid and stately today, he has been resolute in his Royal duties for decades and dutifully since her too sudden death Sept. 8 at age 96.
He has big rubber boots to fill. But this was a good start. He won’t have seven decades to prove himself.
After almost oft-handedly officially being declared “King” in today’s final committal service, he emerged from Westminster Abbey with a big smile to thank the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
The Queen is dead, God save the Queen — long live the King.
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September 19, 2022 @ 5:00 pm
Very well done Mark. You reported a modern miracle like a
world class reporter.
September 19, 2022 @ 6:58 pm
Excellent article about the funeral Mark. I watched it all and I’m now watching repeats.
September 20, 2022 @ 1:48 am
Good article. Well said. However, the funeral was for the Queen,not for Joe Biden or other heads of states. Firstly, it was for the Queen to say good-bye and thankyou to her loyal people. Second, the funeral was to offer support to her grieving family. Lastly, Prime Minister Trudeau showed great disrespect by being out partying at a bar on the day he arrived in London on Saturday for the Queen’s upcoming funeral. He, too, was looking for “Everyone, Look at Me. We did look and once again saw the embarrassment he bestowed on Canada.”