Would the UK have noticed otherwise?

I have a Danish friend who is mad about the British royals and she tells me many Danish people are. Apparently, they dont go crazy over their own toyalty because it would cost a fortune in security and that would be the downfall of their monarchy. Years ago my friends mother used to see the present Queen of Denmark regularely on her bike on her way to work. I get the strong impression that people in other countries have more sense than to worship royalty as though they were a deity as some people in this country do. I can take, or preferably leave royalty but we all have to pay for their security and etc.

The funeral was about our Queen and our Royal Family. I would not expect to have our Royals put centre stage if it was a funeral of one of the European royalty. Criticism for the sake of it I wonder......?????

It was our Queen’s funeral NOT spot the celebrity!

I never thought to look for any other royals though I did notice Scomo walking into the abbey. I’m not that into them really though I loved watching all the pageantry. The Scottish side of the ceremony was very interesting, too.

I’m sorry it’s upset you grandtanteJE65 but I don’t think the commentators meant to be disrespectful to your royals.

I agree with you Elegran, if the Queen of Denmark tested positive the day after the funeral, she wouldn't have caught it in the UK, it could be said she was a carrier and could easily have infected others around her

I agree with you, we needed to see all the others too. I'm not bothered about the politicians! Princess Alexandra was there but didn't see her and there was no mention of her. I thought she was close to the Queen. Had my daughter Google her to see if she was still alive. She was my favourite when I was a child.

I saw the king and queen of Spain and they were mentioned. The royal families from other nations were probably covered by their own press and for their tv.... I think the BBC did an amazing job. The coverage was amazing. I am really not bothered if other royal families were not shown. I also find it odd that someone would dissect the coverage by watching over and over again to see if they were. What difference has it made to your life by doing this?

Queen Margarethe of Denmark cancelled celebrations planned in Denmark to celebrate her own 50 year ascension to the throne to be able attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth. In view of this the invitation to her daughter in law erroneously sent by royal household should in my opinion not have been withdrawn.

I think it would have been nice to identify the foreign royals and perhaps explain what if any relation they were to the Queen. I found the commentary often pointless, saying things like ‘the abbey is really filling up now’ or identifying the few people I did know like Macron or the Bidens while not explaining who others were who were clearly quite important and had been allocated prominent seats. I don’t see it would have been more disrespectful to say who they were than just stating the obvious.

A state funeral is not the time to be focussing on mourners present. This was about The Queen and her family.

Well said, She77 !

The European royals were mentioned but it was a funeral for Queen Elizabeth so it wasn’t surprising that they continually mentioned her and her immediate family. I would be surprised if at any funeral they spoke more about the attendees than the the actual deceased.
Also the comment about Queen Margaret getting covid, it has an incubation period of 7-10 days so she more than likely had it before her symptoms became apparent.
Whatever you do, don’t let the facts get in the way of a good UK bashing.

Baggs, ordinary flu does not close down Care Homes so that the residents can't see their relatives or have visitors. My Mum will be very lonely now her Home has been put back in lockdown. However, Covid will more than likely kill some of her more vulnerable visitors so more care is needed.

Anyone who tested positive for Covid the day after the funeral won't have caught it at the funeral but would definitely have taken it to the funeral!
Not to say she didn't catch it in the UK; it depends when she arrived here.

jenpax

I saw footage of the Royal families of the countries you mentioned arriving at the Abbey, although I confess I didn't watch the whole thing

I also watched various European Royals as they left their buses, also saw the Spanish Royal family inside, and I think the TV channels did a really good job just briefly focusing on funeral guests.... This was in essence a private,sacred occasion and not one for celebrity watching

M0nica

Most, if not all of them were there because all the European Royal families are related to each other, mainly through Queen Victoria. It was the funeral of a relative, and a highly revered one, so they would have been united in grief.

The European royal families are not 15 minute celebrities, they are accustomed to a certain about of attention in their own countrie,s but can usually go unrecognised in any other country. As I said they would have all known the Queen personally and are unlikely to have gone back to their embassys/hotels and scanned the tv coverage for themselves or mentions of themselves.

And most are also related through King Christian IX of Denmark and his wife Queen Louisa.

That's interesting M0nica, thank you.

I did not see the actual funeral service on TV, but according to the Danish state radio, the BBC commentator stated, when the Queen of Denmark and her son, the Crown Prince entered the Abbey "Here are King Willem Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima."

While King Willem Alexander and Crown Prince Frederik are much the same age - certainly the same generation, it really should have dawned on the commentator, the Queen Margrethe is many years older than Queen Maxima!

Admittedly, the BBC were busy that day, but I am fairly sure the Palace had provided them with the guest list and the order in which people would be entering the Abbey.

Actually, no-one here has stated that our Queen caught Covid-19 (for the second time) in London, or on the way there or home again, so you probably don't need to feel guilty about that.

I feel exactly the same way as you Dickens!

Joseanne

Galaxy

It's funny isnt it our different views. I see royalty and celebrities as very similar.

They are certainly very close.

Possibly the 'connection' between celebrity and royalty is enhanced by the way the media present them? Some parts of it (media) focus on the RF in the same way they do celebrities.

As a republican I'm always wondering how they feel when they're obliged to perform in public. I know they live a life of privilege and luxury, but it comes at a price. TBH I cannot think of much worse (in working life) than to have to constantly appear perfectly dressed, poised, magnanimous, interested, and neutral, before a public that has its collective eagle eye on you - but that could be because I'm not good in such situations myself and hate gatherings where polite conversation is the required order of the day. I have to take my hat off to the late Queen for managing this so efficiently for 70 years. I'm not sure Charles will stay the course in the same way - he's made of different material I think.

Thank you M0nica. That's worth a read for me.

Interesting Monica, thanks.

The Swedish Royal family is descended from one of Napoleon's marshals, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte who. in 1809, was chosen by the Swedish government to be heir to their then king, Charles XIII , who was both childless and insane.

The story can be read in the novel Desiree by Annemarie Selinko in 1951. It is the story of Bernadotte's wife, who was wooed by Napoleon, who jilted her when after his early military and political success, he decided he needed a wife who would be useful to his career. She then then married Bernadotte.

Because Bernadotte was essentially a republican and egalitarian, the model he set for the Swedish monarchy has always been very low key and egalitarian.

Think the point might be that many Europeans would be able to recognise and name most, if not all, the royal families in Europe, including our own, because there are so many articles and photos of and about them all.

We/I generally only recognise our royal family. We don’t see or hear much if anything about the european royals and as someone else said, I didn’t know there was a Swedish royal family or the chap from Lichtenstein. Wouldn’t recognise or name any of them, but I will make it my business to have a look online. They are all mostly related to our Queen through Victoria.