by KENNETH SURIN
The 10 days between the queen’s death and her funeral, especially the blanket media coverage, were replete with almost surreal moments. An abbreviated collage of these:
+ Much in view: ceremonial batons, staffs, wands, maces, and rods of all sizes and colours; swords, daggers, and pikes, cannons and a gun carriage for the queen’s coffin (towed by 142 sailors from the Royal Navy); horse riders in shiny metal uniforms, heralds with bugles, gold tunics, ruffs, tassels, epaulettes, armbands, cloaks, and sashes of every colour, all manner of leather accessories on uniforms; a profusion of drag-queen-like individuals in tights, gaudy costumes fit for a fancy dress party with a 15th century theme.
+ Medals and gold braid, medals and gold braid, medals and gold braid, galore!
+ hats and helmets of all kinds— metallic, single-feathered, plumed, animal-skinned, velveteen, cockaded, varieties of floppy headwear, berets.
+ Titles: Yeomen of the Guard, Royal Company of Archers, Gentlemen at Arms, the Sovereign’s Body Guards, Pursuivants and Heralds of Arms, the Earl Marshal (responsible for planning royal funerals, this is a hereditary position!), Lord Great Chamberlain, Lord President of the Council, the Lord Lyon King of Arms, Norroy & Ulster King of Arms, Clarenceux King of Arms, Garter Principal King of Arms, Sovereign’s Serjeants-at-Arm, Serjeant of the Vestry, Lady Usher of the Black Rod, Lord High Steward, Lord High Chancellor, Lord High Treasurer, Lord High Constable, Lord High Almoner, Lord Privy Seal, the Dean of the Thistle, the Dean of His Majesty’s Chapels Royal, the Clerk of the Closet, Lord Steward, Master of the Household, the High Bailiff of Westminster, Master of the Horse, the Queen’s Bargemaster, Keeper of the Privy Purse, the Page of the Backstairs, the Queen’s Page Palace Steward, Service Equerries to the Queen, the Crown Jeweller, the Llywydd, the Master of the King’s Music (who happens to be a woman), the Sovereign’s Piper, the Royal Harpist, the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry, the Fanfare Team of the Household Division, to name but a few.
+ During the royal cortege’s procession down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile a man in the crowd was wrestled to the ground by police when he yelled “you’re a sick old man” at Prince Andrew. A woman who held an “abolish monarchy” sign at a proclamation ceremony for Charles in Edinburgh was charged with a criminal offence. A barrister was interrogated by a police officer after holding up a “blank piece of paper” in London’s Parliament Square. Police were seen taking away a woman holding a placard saying “Not my king” near the Houses of Parliament. Ukania, the supposed “cradle of free speech”?
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