Monarchy (101/365)

[white_hart]

Normally I manage to more or less ignore the fact that I live in a monarchy, and that the royal family aren't just another set of celebrities who I couldn't care less about but who get a lot of press coverage. Unfortunately, royal deaths are guaranteed to shatter that illusion, as the BBC suddenly drops all of its normal programming in favour of solemn music and tribute programmes to reflect a non-existent mood of national mourning. I'm sure it's sad for his family, but personally I find it hard to feel much emotion at all about the death of a 99-year-old man who I had no connection to or interest in in life. I was sadder about the death, announced yesterday, of a former Big Brother contestant at 38, from anorexia; I may not have had any idea of who she was before that, but 38 is far too young.

It also appears that the government is supposed to shut down until after the funeral, as a mark of respect, which is really annoying when we're waiting for an announcement about when (or if) students on non-practical courses can return to university...

Comments

[alithea]

BBC6Music was back to normal this morning so I have hopes we might actually be able to watch *something* on the BBC this week that isn't about Phillip.

I feel sorry for the Queen and his family, but yeah, he was 99 and had lived a long and privileged life, it's hardly a tragedy, especially on the scale of all the families who have lost loved ones well before their time to COVID and not been able to properly mourn them with friends and extended family.

I'm already bracing myself for the crazy we're going to have to put up with when the Queen dies...

[white_hart]

It does look as though things are returning to normal now. But yes, it does make me dread what will happen when the Queen dies, which realistically is going to be in the next few years...