Queen Elizabeth II

[AdelaideCate007]

It'll never end, especially since it's basically just a ceremonial thing now as others have mentioned and they're the main source of tourism in the UK. There's a lot of apathy in from some people but still a lot of love from others or people that think it's a tradition and should stay (even if they don't deeply care). Plus, like BetterForgiven mentioned, the love is still there in the Commonwealth and very strong in some places. A few people here in Australia have brought up becoming a Republic the past few days and immediately gotten shot down by people yelling that we can never get rid of the monarchy. Americans, no offense, always say stuff like the love isn't there for Charles or William; meanwhile, I'm drowning in people praising and loving them and supporting them, even people on the far left. The way people have been acting the past few days has been eye opening in realising how much support they have if you look past sections of twitter and certain groups of people. It's hard for Americans to understand how ingrained some of this is in people and society.

Anyway, not a royalist, but a lot of complicated feelings about this. My parents and my stepmother were all born under British colonial rule. All of my grandparents were saved by the British during the war, either by accepting them into colonies or by liberating the camps. But I can also recognise the pain and hurt the monarchy has caused Africans and other people of colour for generations. I saw that first end growing up in South Africa and going to visit Kenya a lot. No one is obligated to mourn, but I do think there's a nuance in these conversation that's missing and that you can't get from the surface level discussion you get on twitter and that again, no offense, is filled with people who have never lived or been a part of any of this. However, no part what side you fall on, I do think she was devoted to her country and gave her entire life for public service. It was a life of consequence and we'll definitely not see the likes of that again.

Also, mostly hoping for them to finally kick Andrew to the curb.

[DRW50]

I've seen a lot of negativity toward Charles and William even from non-Americans (even though the press tries and tries to pump some long-deflated life back into William and Kate as a beloved national couple), but I don't think that will affect the monarchy at present with the current Tory government (I imagine that is also why Charles is linking so closely to the PM, even planning a tour with her, in spite of his own liberal views). I think it may be more of a factor in a few years than it is now. 

Edited September 11, 2022 by DRW50

[AdelaideCate007]

There's always going to be negativity but the fact is they have almost 70% approval from the British people which is only slightly lower than Queen Elizabeth. If they count in the Commonwealth, their approval is probably even higher. A lot of that is some apathy or just general neutral feelings but the point is that they're not universally reviled. They're actually fairly popular as far as royals go. Again, I'm pretty left wing and so are most of my acquaintances and friends and I know like two people who have issues with William and Kate. If Charles and then William and Kate steer the monarchy and issues they're interested in where it seems they're going to, then their popularity will probably even slightly rise.

[janea4old]

This feels so odd to me.  I'm a somewhat older American and neither me, nor anybody I know in real life, have ever given the queen any thought at all.  Never thought about her when she was alive.   Read that she had passed away.  Assumed it would be a minor news item.

I have online acquaintances who have been crying about this and it just startled me to learn of that.  It just never occurred to me to care one way or another.

From things in the news media, it seems that the queen mattered to a lot of people.  But I can't tell if that's just the media being dramatic about drama, or if people around the world actually care?

It just stuns me that anyone would care about any monarchy at all.  I'm not trying to disrespect anyone here who is upset by her death.  Just surprised that it matters because it never occurred to me.

I guess it's just another example of me learning how little I know.  Here at SON there is a worldwide membership here of people from various backgrounds.  I learn every day that there is a bigger viewpoint about the world than what I assume from my small life experience.

Since I've seen so many news reports, I became aware of many people in the world who disliked the royal family's tacit support of colonialism.  That does not surprise me, so I mentioned it upthread.  I'm surprised that this would even be controversial.

Edited September 11, 2022 by janea4old

[I Am A Swede]

^^

I guess it can be difficult for someone who's never experienced monarchy first hand, and I think it is even slightly puzzling for those of us who has. I have some mixed feelings about it myself. One the one hand, it's not exactly in line with modern society to have someone born into a position and not earn it. That's what the modern, democratic part of me says. But on the other hand, monarchy is so ingrained in our society, in our history and in our culture that it's become a part of our national identity. And sometimes, in a crisis, it can actually be a positive thing to have an apolitical head of state who can serve as a "leader". When the big tsunami hit Indonesia all those years ago and many Swedes died, it was our king who stepped up and spoke to the people and acted as a father to the nation.

To be fair, I think that many people here don't care all that much either way about the monarchy. They neither like nor dislike it, but there has never been any serious talk about abolishing the monarchy as far as I know. They connect us to our history, and they bring a sort of gravitas to our society. And as for the subject of us (the taxpayers) paying for them, well, we would have to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the castles and royal buildings anyway even if there was no monarchy, and they do bring in money as well, through tourism etc. And our current king has streamlined the monarchy down to only himself, the queen, crown princess Victoria and her family. The other royal children are no longer supported by the state. I suppose that Charles is planning something similar in the UK.

[JaneAusten]

Thank you for explaining @I Am A Swede. It's very hard for many of us who have never lived under a monarchy or with a monarchy to understand it. That said, we here in the US have a ton of flaws including the president living in his own "palace" and expecting especially in this day and age for the president to wave a wand and fix everything as a single ruler might do.

My dad had Swedish ancestry on his fathers side and on his mothers, UK ancestry and he never talked favorably about monarchy lol. But I consider the source and nature of the times he grew up in.

I wonder if you consider your own King similar to Elizabeth in that he became King at a very young age and has been king since what the mid 1970's? He must be in his 70's or early 80's at this point.

And  I think there might be something to be said in having someone apolitical in a role many in the country has some level of respect for.  The Queen did do that in the UK, although I can't imagine her having any sort of favorable opinion of that idiot Boris Johnson. Charles is political so will that change? And his media tour with the new PM? Oh well

[I Am A Swede]

There are some similarities. They both ascended to the throne at roughly the same age (Elizabeth at 26, our King at 27) and they were both affected at a young age by outside circumstances. In Elizabeth's case her uncle's abdication, which consequently made her an heir to the throne, and for our King the death of his father when he was less than a year old. That could have caused a problem since his grandfather was already 64 years old at the time. But he lived to the age of 90, so the young prince had grown up by the time of his accession to the throne in 1973.

But there the similarities end. I don't think our King has the same authority as Elizabeth had. Of course, being King of Sweden is not quite the same as being Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations.  

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He was a bit of a playboy in his youth, and doesn't command the same respect Queen Elizabeth did. But I do think that he is quite popular in his own right nowadays, and his longevity (he is now the longest reigning monarch in Swedish history) has helped his popularity I think.

[j swift]

Every time I read an article about how Princess Kate is honoring the Queen by wearing her jewels, I think if the shoe was on the other foot the headlines would say, "Meghan riffles through the Queen's closet looking for hand-me-downs."

Also, do we think Harry packed his military uniform just in case, or did they have one ready for him at the palace?

[sivad40]

ABC, NBC and the major cable networks are showing the Queen's funeral; CBS and Fox showing their regular local programming. 

[Soapsuds]

CBS went until 9am Central time.

There's nothing happening for it to still be shown. Their talks are repetitive. Did you know the queen picked her nose while walking the dogs? Do you think Charles was prepared for this? Did you know even in her last days the queen still picked her nose?

While the same scene is shown in the background.

 

 

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[reallyhateskateonlost]

I watched some of the funeral on yahoo because there are no comments being made from commentators.

[sivad40]

Fox is now showing it. They finally made it to St. George's Chapel for the committal service.

Edited September 19, 2022 by sivad40

[Broderick]

As an American who enjoys history, I watched it all (of course).  The American media makes it difficult to watch, though, by always focusing on the "drama" of Harry and Meghan, which is of little interest to me and takes away from the significance of the event itself.  

[Faulkner]

Meghan’s outfit was fierce. Dominique Deveraux realness.

[wonderwoman1951]

 

i didn’t get up, but watched the pbs 90 minute wrap up for exactly those reasons. american commentators  (and, i suppose, the networks) seem terrified of silence. although i was reminded of the 100th anniversary of fenway park. all the living red sox were invited and came out of the bullpen on to the field, one by one — took 20 minutes and the only sound was the crowd’s reactions — incredibly moving.

would love to have been a fly on the wall for those meetings. 

fenway park anniversary

as for the queen: i came across a couple of stories that spoke volumes about how she was able to convey what she was thinking without say a word.

apparently, while meeting with donald trump, she wore a brooch that was a give from the obamas.

and when prince abdulla (later king) saudi arabia (where women are not permitted to drive) was visiting the uk, the queen got behind the wheel of a land rover and took him for a drive.