Beautiful memorial service for Prince Philip

The Queen looked dignified, she managed well. Others in green attire made nice sartorial choices. The children appeared to behave, Catherine looked cute. All lovely.

His Uncle Edward hasn’t written a book about his family or given an Oprah type interview, and thankfully doesn’t tell the world what the universe says l

He is an aristocratic in America,

ReadyMeals

Quite apart from any "message" the Queen may have been intending to send about Andrew, the sheer practicality would have won out for me. He was already with her and was going back with her too. He sees her nearly every day, and probably knows exactly how fast she is comfortable walking, how high or sticking out she likes his elbow to hold, which bits of the walk she might need extra watching for, and when it's safe to let her go the rest of the way on her own. Imagine if he'd handed her off to the Dean or someone else mid-journey - she might have stumbled or tottered during the changeover, the new person might have walked with a different stride or held their arm too high or got in the way of her stick as she adjusted her grip. And not least about drawing extra attention to Andrew's legal problems if we'd seen him in the car with her and suddenly he was whisked off to another part of the church as if he'd not been with her at all.

Also I agree with the people who said it really didn't need bringing up DURING the commentary of the service :rolleyes:

Totally agree ReadyMeals.

phantom12

It was a lovely service and nice to see the family together after a long time. Of course Prince Andrew had to be there for his father. I felt it was quite discreet as the attention was on the Queen rather than him. It was better than having him parade down the aisle with the others or having to sneak in a side door by himself. I was glad that Harry and Meghan didn't attend as they would have made it into the Harry and Meghan show.

Well said phantom, exactly what we thought.

Well I thought it was a lovely service, I loved the pageantry, the vestments, Prince Andrew escorting the Queen in a dignified low key way and the hymns. I don't think it mattered a jot that P.H wasn't there, lets face it he has become, over time, rather irrelevant to the RF and perhaps to the rest of us. We've all moved on and I'm not sure that people care much about him and his activities any more.

I thought it was a very good service, and did remind people of all the good things that Prince Phillip started or was involved with. It was well run and I enjoyed singing all the hymns. Was trying to sort out paperwork that has got behind because I have ben ill so it was a catching up sort of day and it certainly made me feel my age when I was seeing the various people looking much older, but it did show the love and respect that many people felt for him

volver

Oh no, I can't let that stand...

Tacky? You mean like the trumpeters dressed up like Tudors who play a fanfare before an old lady walks in? You mean like a group of priests/ministers dressed up in their medieval finery? Like the adulation for a family that for some people can do no wrong? Like all the curtseying?

No no. We're the tacky ones.

Strange that the republicans on this thread have obviously watched the service, absorbed every detail and seem very well informed on the subject. ?

Chestnut
Strange that the republicans on this thread have obviously watched the service, absorbed every detail and seem very well informed on the subject.
Very astute of you to notice. ??

It reminds me of OFSTED though. Only commenting on what they see as wrong and really gritting their teeth to tell us we were Goid, then Outstanding.

Even republicans have TVs. Republicans like to know what's going on in the world. They like to understand things so they can form opinions about them. Republicans are, indeed, very well informed.

Did I say unlike some others? No, of course not. I wouldn't say something like that. ?

Thought the BBC evening news was disrespectful to the Queen as before it’s coverage of the service, it showed Boris coming into the Abbey and commented on Partygate! Unnecessary should have kept the two events separate.

phantom12

It was a lovely service and nice to see the family together after a long time. Of course Prince Andrew had to be there for his father. I felt it was quite discreet as the attention was on the Queen rather than him. It was better than having him parade down the aisle with the others or having to sneak in a side door by himself. I was glad that Harry and Meghan didn't attend as they would have made it into the Harry and Meghan show.

I was glad that Harry and Meghan didn't attend as they would have made it into the Harry and Meghan show.

The "Harry and Meghan Show" would have been introduced, conducted and entirely choregraphed by the media complete with dozens upon dozens of photo's.

... and then everyone would be saying, 'look, Harry and Meghan have made it all about them'...

Strange that the republicans on this thread have obviously watched the service, absorbed every detail and seem very well informed on the subject. ?

Is there any reason why a Republican shouldn't watch?

I watched and I'm a Republican - and for the record, I said nothing uncomplimentary, either. On the contrary, I have a lot of admiration for the Queen.

No reason why republicans shouldn’t watch. Nothing to stop them or Royalists making derogatory comments either.
Thank you for not being part of the republican group that did make such comments.

Sorry, that was to Dickens.

Och, and I thought you meant me. ?

Seeing the family en masse did seem to underline how irrelevant Harry has become in this country. I don#t think many people will have missed him.

And yet we still manage to shoehorn him into every thread that mentions the RF. Often several times...

How lovely it was to see the Queen, after such a long abscence, I felt so proud as I watched her with her Son Andrew.The Queen looks so frail, but she managed to walk alone to her seat, its been a long time since we saw her, but she is still a remarkable dignified lady, and determined to attend the memorial service.

Deedaa

Seeing the family en masse did seem to underline how irrelevant Harry has become in this country. I don#t think many people will have missed him.

For someone so irrelevant, he does seem to garner an awful lot of media column inches and subsequent comments!

My MiL was a remarkable, dignified lady & determined too. She lived to 98 and lived alone after FiL died, on the top floor of a block of council flats. She also had 1 daughter and 3 sons, two of whom were serving officers in the RAF. She worked hard until she was well into her 60s. She was a loving grandma to her 11 grandchildren.
There are 1000s of women like my MiL.. but we give huge focus to just one woman because serendipity made her the queen.

Even republicans have TVs

It really shouldn't be allowed.
Whatever next?
They'll be wanting the internet so they can air their republican views on social media

Good to see the Queen, she looked very frail though. There was a lovely picture in the BBC News Feed yesterday that showed her with Prince Phillip when they got engaged, she looked very beautiful with dark curly hair, I wish I could find it and upload it.

Hope you're starting to feel better Madeleine.

Was it this one, Jodie?

Oh yes, thank you so much Callistemon21, that's the one. Don't they look lovely together. How beautiful the Queen is.

ReadyMeals

With regard to Harry's security problem, he could have got off the plane, been met by Charles or William or even Kate who would automatically have had police protection with them, he could have got into their nice secure car with them, then gone straight to nice secure Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace or even Clarence House which all have security around them. He then just needed to stay put, protected, till the service, and gone to the service with another royal in another secure car, then reversed his journey home again. There was no reason to have his own security team - unless he had thought to go clubbing or to Burger King while he was over here... Basically he didn't want to come to some boring family do.

I agree. Sad to see that he didn't attend - especially after seeing Prince Philip walking beside him to support him at Diana's funeral...
His grandfather (who, like him or not, never wavered in his duty to support the Queen) wouldn't have been impressed ?