This is Northumberland Calling 9.9.22

A somber edition.

This is Northumberland UK calling 9 9 22

The Queen is dead. Long live the King. The Second Elizabethan Age has ended. And the feelings of sadness and loss are far more intense than I thought they would be.

Philip Larkin’s poem which was written for commemorate her silver jubilee in 1977 sums up many people’s feelings about her:

‘In times when nothing stood

But worsened or grew strange

There was one constant good

She did not change.’

Philip Larkin

I think this tweet thread shows how ordinary people are reacting. It is not that nobody cares because they do:

Adrian Yalland @AdrianYalland

This evening I was in a pub in central(ish) London after the rained-off test. Aware of the news of her Majesty’s health I was in a reflective mood and keeping an eye on events.

It reminds of when the Queen Mother died and the Blair government thought no one would turn out, except the entirety of the East End did because Londoners remember.

The best place to read the news is the Times of London – they are the paper of record. They will have all the order of service, the obits and the pomp and circumstance which Britain does so well. It is possible to get a month free. The sheer weight of articles is unbelievable. They have been planning this since her father died because someone has to be practical.

This is what the Royal  residences are doing, including on where to leave flowers: https://www.royal.uk/mourning-and-condolence-arrangements-royal-residences

The period of mourning will extend seven days beyond the funeral.

  It was very strange to read the words – the King and when the King is residence, the Royal standard is always flown at full mast.

They have a link to leave your condolences digitally as there are no physical books of condolence. You can leave a message and these will be passed to members of the royal family, plus be held in the royal archives for posterity. https://www.royal.uk/send-message-condolence

The Accession Council must meet within 24 hours of her death and will proclaim Charles as the new king. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/09/08/what-accession-council-mean-how-work-queen-dead-tv-royals/

Unbelievable in many respects as you have to be at least 75 to have any notion of what it is like to change British monarchs. There will be many changes – the currency, the stamps, the court system (no more QCs, they are now all KC – King’s Counsel) , the royal warrants, all the cap badges that the Army wear, the National anthem will have words suitable for the new king –Charles III. There will be many lump in the throat moments when the little things which show how much the Queen was embedded in the fabric of British society alter

Photo by Ryan Johns on Unsplash

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The Queen’s last official act was to ensure the smooth transition between the caretaker government led by Boris Johnson to the Liz Truss government. Her devotion to duty and her acceptance of the enormous responsibility her position entailed should be an example to all.

Liz Truss and her new cabinet—the so-called ABBA reshuffle as the winner took it all. She decided not to unite the party but to appoint the best people as she sees it. The top four positions now occupied by a diverse group. The only white male is the new King, the Head of State. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/09/06/liz-truss-cabinet-appointments/

Kemi Badenoch is the new international  trade secretary which will give her experience at running a largish department. She is in the Cabinet. Suella Braverman who is the new Home Secretary is also very clued up on Identity Politics and keen to play her part.  https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kemi-badenoch-rising-star-in-tory-party-is-made-trade-secretary-rcr3w5w7x