I posted this on Twitter this morning:
I respect the significance of all that has and is happening, but I think it fair to add that I am already overdosed on everything to do with royalty, past and present. There is more to life, and shouldn't we be allowed to celebrate that too?
— Richard Murphy (@RichardJMurphy) September 10, 2022
I understand mourning. I know all about grief. You don't get to sixty four without having experienced both.
I also appreciate the role of the royal family in our constitution, whether appropriate or otherwise. And I have watched my fair share of the coverage because this is about politics, and most especially the power relationships that define political economy.
But, and I think it only fair to say it, whatever some journalists struggling for yet more words to say at this moment might suggest, I do not think that this country was built around the monarchy, let alone a person who managed to remain almost unknown fur more than seventy years.
Any country is built around its people; every single one of them. What they have in common - included shared conventions such as having a monarch - matter. But so too does their diversity. Without disrespecting those who wish to mourn, lives should be allowed to go on. In its own way that is celebration, most especially in the realm of monarchy, where continuity is on of the critical themes that underpins its narrative.
I don't think we all need days more denial of the reality of the rest of life as a result.
Nor do I want for more myth making that pretends that the issues that trouble so many are suspended at present, because they aren't.
If we are to truly respect what is happening then we may by all means mourn a person, and allow space for others to do so. But the world does not stop for anyone's death. That is the mystery of life. It continues, and we learn, adapt and deal with it.
I am not convinced that the coverage I am seeing reflects this in anything like a healthy way. And that troubles me.
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Thanks Richard, you articulate my feelings on this well. These TikToks provide a good outside view on whats going on. From someone who studies such things.
https://twitter.com/abbeyheffer/status/1568272018801319939
Just another nine days of National Mourning. Truss’s productivity agenda has fallen in hours, excepting the establishment which has gone into overdrive.
Does that ‘problematic’ third verse of ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ give I a clue to what’s happening. And maybe this arrangement suits much of the English population just fine?
The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
God made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.
I’m a local councillor. We were circulated Operation London Bridge planning a few months ago which stated that in these circumstances official meetings may continue to be held but each council can decide what to postpone. Yesterday our official (not our elected body) unilaterally postponed our meetings next week. Why and with what authority? Its probably just annoying in the greater scheme of things but local democratic business is delayed on the basis that we should all be in mourning whether we like it or not and also by declaring authority where it doesn’t exist. It’s grim.
Very surprising
If the councillors want to meet they can and should do so. Ask the chair to convene the meeting anyway. If the official does not want to attend that is up to them.
The world has not stopped. I was as busy at work yesterday as I have been all week – busier if anything due to Thursday being disrupted.
The widespread cancellation of events will hit the incomes of many: sporting, cultural and all kinds of events are being cancelled and, while those with contracts with cancellation clauses may get some recompense (although probably not the full contracted fee), huge numbers of gig-economy casual workers will lose out. As ever those with the least will suffer the most.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve resorted to leaving the radio off which in itself is very weird for me.
Well said, Richard.
Bravo Richard.
The Royal Prostration Police – a branch of the British Fascist Party, dedicated to making sure that everyone bows down and pays full attention to everything that is Royal – are doing the rounds, no doubt about that.
I find it all so false. Would Liz want to cause so much trouble on her passing? I doubt it but those who keep the edifice going will of course make sure that there is socialism/collectivism for the Royals but not for the people as in a functioning NHS, other public services and a government committed to the wealth and health of all.
Weird, isn’t it? But also, unacceptable. And rather telling.
Yesterday we put an affordable housing scheme into planning. My executives were overjoyed at the quality of design and the progress we made and 9 families in late 2023/early 2024 will come off our housing list and have a carbon neutral affordable home to live in. As you say life must go on.
And what might stop that? Why the Tory Untermenschen we currently have in Government, of course.
“Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.”
– George Bernard Shaw
To see that proclamation – like fairyland? ‘Goes back to Wllliam the Conqueror’? Is this really our country ? Almost verges on proclaiming to the serfs who is now their ruler. The ‘Garter King of Arms’ – with his ducal feathery hat…. one of a whole heirarchy of feudal ducal lords – including the Earl Marshal/Duke of Norfolk etc . Fascinating, terrifying.
Almost a shadowy, system still lying in wait – lord leutenants in each county , the sovereign, the army etc in case democracy gets out of hand. All our freehold houses really owned by the crown.
It is Gilbert and Sullivan gone mad
Except that Gilbert and Sullivan were funnier.
Really?
I had to do it at school and hated it
You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet! For proof of madness try this:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11199259/Royal-beekeeper-informed-Queens-bees-HM-died-King-Charles-new-boss.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline
It’s not madness to “tell the bees”. It is an old custom in Europe – and travelled across the Atlantic too. It’s a motif in the Witches series of Pratchett’s Discworld novels.
My first words when I was told of Bill Turnbull’s death recently were, “I hope they’ve told his bees.”
Perhaps it is just my age and a rural upbringing, but even if it’s superstition why risk upsetting the workers?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telling_the_bees
I admit to being with Ken on this one
Even if it happened, The Mail illustrated its absurdity reporting it
Very little of the ceremonial surrounding the royal family goes back to William the Conqueror. Most of it was invented in the nineteenth century.
True
I enjoyed David Olusoga giving us the history of it all and putting it into perspective.
Anyway, The Great North Run is not cancelled tomorrow. Nobody can tell Brendan Foster what to do. The 5k today is cancelled.
Also Covid Action, originally called Zero Covid, is having its first online meeting tomorrow afternoon.
https://covidaction.uk/2022/09/08/press-release-covid-action-launch-liz-truss-must-take-covid-action-now/
Agree absolutely. What I find curious is that here in France (where I live) there is also wall to wall coverage, regular news broadcasts suspended for “special editions dedicated to Her Majesty”, tearful interviews with all and sundry, minute analysis of how “Le Roi Charles” will comport himself, and so on and on. Regrettably with the same syndrome: journalistic “must fill the airwaves with something even though we have nothing to say”. Overdose is the word.
It’s fair to say that the Royal Family in general, and the Queen in particular, seem to have been close to French hearts for quite a long time, not least because she could deliver speeches in very credible french.
I have a suspicion, based on very little evidence, that even the French have looked at the UK and said “they’ve all gone completely mad, but at least the Queen is still there, for us to believe the British sense of rectitude is alive and well”. Et voila: the last light has gone out.
I don’t think ‘we’ve’ gone nuts, but the media certainly has! They’ve rehearsed for this day for decades (along with all the pertinent national and local officials) and i think it’s not ‘us’ who are the target audience, but spectacle for the rest of the world.
Or perhaps they make it for themselves – other people in the media!
Good post guys!
An informative, extremely refreshing, alternative perspective from “Democracy Now”
Contributors: Priyamvada Gopal, author of “Insurgent Empire” Anticolonial Resistance and British Dissent, Harvard historian/ University professor Maya Jasanoff, Novara Media editor Ash Sarker and Pedro Welch, former chair of the Barbados Reparations Task force.
Hi Mark.
I’m a Sheffield Green Councillor. Yesterday all councillors have to wear black or dark clothing, black tie and a black arm band at formal meetings.
That should have even a choice
No one worse black tie to my father’s funeral – and not one of us lacked respect
And black armbands are a relic
Absurd
Thanks for saying this Richard. I found the period around Prince Phillip’s death quite objectionable, and this seems to be very much the same.
It’s not because I don’t think people should have time and respect to mourn a public figure they care about, but rather because a lot of what was being expressed was not genuine grief. It was instead a form of collective deference. It’s often people acting in a way that they think they ought to feel, rather than what they actually do feel.
None of this would bother me in normal times, but I was mourning the anniversary of my father’s death, and I found it insensitive that every media outlet tried to force feelings of grief upon me which I did not wish to feel at that time. People should be allowed to grieve in their own way. It’s not a public spectacle, or an event to be covered by reporters. I find treating it as such incredibly distasteful.
I agree
As one of the locals who are about to witness the passing of the funeral cortège as it passes our driveway shortly and who have to take detours of many miles to go about our daily business, I will pause as a mark of respect as it passes. I should note that I do this for any funeral cortège.
Without any disrespect to the queen, nonetheless, I am utterly aghast at the suspension of parliament and all the other wholly unnecessary disruptions and suspensions to normal life. At a time when – arguably more than ever – we need a government focused on addressing the economic mess they have made of the country, we appear to be more focused on nonsensical tradition and overdone outpourings.
As touched on in your Truss shambles blog, the government appears to have no plan to deal with the energy crisis – or anything else. I wonder, as we mark the passing of the queen, how many funerals of old people (and possibly even young people) we will witness this winter as people make the heat or eat choice? It seems to me that the prioritisation and cost of the funeral, royal accession, jubilee, etc., are done with little regard to the ‘real world’ we live in. For example, doing something urgently to alleviate the cost of living crisis seems to be beyond the government.
I’m not sure if it is ironic – or an awful reflection of our society and particularly it’s so-called political leaders – that an obscenely wealthy, privileged individual justifies such (further) cost and disruption to our lives. The people who may die due to cold or failure to be able to eat properly this winter are also mothers, grand-mothers, great grandmothers (or fathers, sisters, etc). I will quietly pause in respect as the queen passes – despite being republican by conviction – but surely it is far more important and respectful to look after all in society and particularly those most vulnerable. In short, like the NHS, other services and many others in business…get back to work or we are likely to face a lot more funerals this winter.
Sadly, you are right
Enough is more than enough – already!
We need a proper written constitution before this lot wreck elected democracy in Britain.
That constitution should require that a real majority of the population orders the policies of the government.
And the head of state needs the power to force adherence to the constitution.
Thanks for writing this Richard. You have like most people been respectful of other’s feelings. However I can’t remember ever seeing the Queen wearing black or cancelling her engagements and work . I am not a royalist but respect the views of those who are . However this is media driven at a time our country is is crisis and has been already put on hold due to the sham of a handful of people electing out new PM. This blanket coverage will allow Truss and whoever is pulling her strings, to
slip in more policies to promote the leveling down of our country that is already on it’s knees.
I want one person to tell me what is going to change in our every day life by having a new old king as opposed to a very old Queen? I wonder if some of these people made such a fuss when their grandparents died ? My mother died on the 8th September 2019 at the age of 99. She was an amazing lady with integrity and had the love and respect of hundreds of family and friends. We celebrated her life with joy and tributes and stories of how she had affected our lives. We wore bright colors and in between her peaceful death from old age, I continued to work of my film project about self harm. To me the Queen has joined another Matriarch. After all if we are a Christian society ‘We are all equal in the eyes of our Lord’
Richard
Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘HMS Pinafore’ is very funny in my view.
The Mikado I am also fond of as it was the first ‘classical’ music concert my dear old Dad took me too as young boy.
G & S were no Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Holst or Parry for sure.
However – would I have liked to have had to perform in any of them?
I doubt it – no electric guitars for a start!
🙂
Surely the whole point of “The Queen is dead, Long live the King” is precisely to achieve continuity. Those who enjoy or need ceremonial will have a coronation in due course, those who mourn a funeral. In the meantime, it is very clear to me that it should be business as usual.
We used to carry on regardless. I am now 69, I remember that the 1950’s an air display was resumed 1/2 day after a plane crashed into the crowd killing 6. I am not advocating that, some things are better moved on from. The war was brutalising and should not be mythologised, there are good reasons we don’t behave like that now.
It seems to me that like WW2, the death of the Queen is being used. Firstly in general sense its easy to hijack when many people are genuinely upset. It is a gift, it slips easily into what Gramsci would describe as the hegemony myth. Its also useful to the libertarian small state cabal that has captured the Tory party; another event which helps to delay, obfuscate and undermine democracy.
I do share concerns about what will happen in the meantime and how bad it will get, and what the backlash to pole tax type disorder will be.
As a ray of hope, and a plea to those of good will who see the importance of good governance I’d add this. There will be an election in 2024 if not sooner, everyone who cares to look, can sees how a small faction has captured the Tory party and dictates policy from what is actually a minority position (only FPTP give a majority of seats). We must join together (stop being tribal) and vote tactically to get rid of them. Good governance is not a party political issue it is just a hygiene factor. There must be a coalition and reforming the constitution and voting must be a priority. This is a first order problem without which we can do little else. Go to your political parties and force your leaders to keep up, and collaborate with each other before its too late.
I forget which french philopher said: cemeteries are full of indispensable people. the monarchy, given its own instability e.g charles adultery and the multiple divorces elsewhere in the family and other scandals etc is not a factor of stability only one of the enjoyable circuses. Enjoyable in all those ancient uniforms and blokes in tights .delusional are the british and love fiction