Royal lying in state rituals endure despite changing times

@ englisc a

Perhaps my jaundiced view of the royal funeral rites has something to do with the fact that here in the UK I'm bombarded 24/7 by wall-to-wall grief-celebrations for a deceased woman who, admittedly, performed admirably as queen, but since I'm a republican by principle, the shenanigans of the Windsors have never had any appeal for me. I deplore the sad reality that the feudalistic institution of the monarchy continues to serve to reinforce class and undeserved privilege and acts as a brake on the overdue social reforms the UK is in dire need of. As old Queen Vic once opined, "we are not amused" (by the choreographed collective grieving imposed by the state).

Kobe White Bar Owner...

Many worse things to be leading the world in...

True, but that is all we have now. And queuing to view coffins. Got to be No. 1 at that now.

The working class had electricity in the 1930s. Most had no inside toilet or bathroom. Bathing in public houses. The houses were not slums but many were damp and overcrowded with large families. No national health service. I was born and lived in those houses,

What twaddle. The majority of homes had electricity in the 1930’s, and most were not living in slums.

Reamer, alas like many who don’t actually live in the country you have a biased and distorted view that simply doesn’t reflect reality.

Without claiming there are not problems, there are as in all country’s, your description highlights only the problems out of context, ignores all else and blindly ignores any and all efforts to deal with said problems.

Reminiscent of the worst sort of agenda driven blinkered reportage.

The sumptuous royal obsequies staged at a staggering expense to the taxpayer serve as a tinseled drape to cover the wretched state of a society scarred by the blight of homelessness for many and poor working conditions for more and where multitudes dine on foodbanks. Fortunately, there is no dearth of "circuses" to distract hard-working families from their dreary daily round and these 10 days of funereal theater put on for the public's consumption exemplify the superb skills of the UK's Establishment impresarios in collaboration with mass media managers

Mr Kipling.

Many worse things to be leading the world in...

Britain had little or no electricity and large parts of the population still lived in slums.

Inaccurate codswallop, electricity take up was widespread by then which is why we had a national grid in the 1920’s. Slums still existed, though much had been mitigated from the conditions 50 years before.

The writer gives the impression this pomp and ceremony is somehow imposed on the population rather than the reality that the public love it and it appeals to a deep seated sense of our national identity and culture. Not to mention that it seems to appeal to and is appreciated by people from all around the world. We have an emotional connection with history, continuity and tradition evidenced throughout our society from the little daily rituals of making tea through such things as the National Trust to the great ceremonies and traditions on the national scale like this.

lfear this writer doesn’t know us very well.

Britain... Still leading the world in pomp and ceremony.

Also,, Taiwan got special preferential treatment over China.

Taiwan 'specially invited' to sign queen's condolence book

https://www.yahoo.com/news/taiwan-specially-invited-sign-queens-012717738.html

You know the Chinese government is mad!!!