A Touch Of Class

 

Nuala texted me around three to see if I was watching
Of course she knew I would have been.
I found the whole thing rather moving.
It wasn’t grand, I thought, but more beautifully choreographed and the more personal touches such as the use of the land rover and his riding carriage with his gloves left quietly on his seat were simple and powerful reminders of the man.

64 comments:

  1. It makes you proud to be British; no-one does 'ceremony' like the Brits. A wonderful tribute. RIP Philip.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'll have fags and a lighter atop my coffin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Give them up now, Mave, and have a few more years to enjoy with your prince. They're not all frogs.

      Delete
    2. I incapable of enjoying Princes or attracting them. Fags are cheaper and more readily available πŸ˜‚

      Delete
  3. It was perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It was true to the man. Is the jar on the carriage seat full of sugarr cubes for the horses?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yorkshire Liz4:43 pm

    Very moving. There's plastic box with fiscal landlords was full of sugar pumps for his Cell ponues. Best coverage of all on Sky with the inimitable and perfect Alistair Bryce

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no idea what you just said.πŸ˜”

      Delete
    2. I have no idea what you just said.πŸ˜”

      Delete
    3. fiscal landlords and sugar pumps?

      Is that some new or regional thing?

      Delete
    4. Cell ponues? Fiscal landlords? Sugar pumps? Is this some new kind of funeral?

      Delete
    5. I am glad I am not the only one saying: What?

      Delete
    6. Fell Ponies . . . sugar lumps . . but I can't translate the fiscal landlords. Yet.

      Delete
  6. I live-streamed the ceremony (the globe & mail); quiet, dignified, simple, no drama. the queen looked so fragile, sitting there all by herself.

    ReplyDelete
  7. i think it was much more moving than if it has been a grand production. it brought tears to my eyes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too , it was the kitchen staff and maids lined up against the wall that started me off

      Delete
  8. I also watched it live over here. It was dignified, respectful, beautiful and sad. What a life.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It was beautiful wasn't it - and even the weather cooperated!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think everything looks either much better or much worse when viewed from the South of France.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think it was the simplicity of it all.
      The pomp had gone leaving a quiet dignified service

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  11. I miss him already.30 years ago I placed a cap,cigarettes,and a can of beer inside my dads coffin,his jeans and a bit of cash just in case there was a pub where he was going x

    ReplyDelete
  12. Disappointing that we did not see a fist fight between William and Harry outside St George's Chapel. William did well to restrain himself. It is what Prince Philip would have wanted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The spat is overblown me thinks

      Delete
    2. Not according to "The Sun" and "The Daily Star".

      Delete
  13. Beautifully done ..... what a life of service, loyalty and dedication ..... from the distanced military, their shadows evenly spaced across the lawn , to his militaria and racing carriage. It was more poignant being pared down because of the pandemic ..... a long life well lived. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  14. John, it was all so stunning in such a quiet, perfect way on a beautiful sunny day. The castle looked awesome and our Queen fragile and tiny. I pray she manages for more years despite Philip not being at her side.
    I'm always so proud to be British - even though I haven't live there for so long - and tears still come when 'I Vow to Thee My Country' plays - we sang it so often at school!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am watching it now to hear the singing. It is nicely done. I like funeral dirges.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The simple singing of just five was lovely and more personal .I thought

      Delete
    2. The bugles are now on. It is spine-chilling and up-lifting at the same time.

      Delete
    3. The last post made me tear up

      Delete
  16. I lost it at the Last Post, all these years away, yet my heart is still in England.
    A beautiful service, just as he wanted.
    Jo

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm not a fan of the Royals, but I must say it was very sad that the Queen had to sit all by herself with no one to keep her company and comfort her.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I stayed up and watched until 3am here. A good solid send off. My mum took a cask of wine, a wine glass and some photos in her casket. In my dad's pocket we tucked a comb, hankie and a library card and RSA card and a chalk for his snooker cue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As my father was buried my brother threw into the grave his membership card to the conservative club

      Delete
  19. I thought the carriage was a lovely touch and was moved by the way the handlers of the fell ponies talked to them and constantly stroked them. I doubt they are used to being in such an environment and they did behave well.

    ReplyDelete
  20. A beautiful tribute. The well worn leather gloves, hat and flask sitting on the carriage seat is poignant. I wish they had allowed a family member to sit next to the Queen.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I lost it when I saw the gloves hat and the plastic red lidded tub that held the ponies sugar lumps. And Prince Charles with the tear running down his face. Gosh lip wobbling here.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Barbara Anne10:57 pm

    I watched on You Tube and it was a lovely tribute. The care of the horses was touching as was the presence of the household staff, and the simplicity of the wonderful four voices that sang in St. George's Chapel was perfect. I, too, wish someone had sat next to the Queen to hold her hand.

    Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  23. SWMBO had the best comment. "They call that a chapel!"

    ReplyDelete
  24. Here in US they showed the flowers on the casket a number of times....focused in to what appeared as a cars or something. Does anyone know what that might have been. They did state that the flowers were chosen by the queen. A beautiful, dignified and very personal service. Yes, she looked very frail and so sad she had to sit alone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A card or something among the flowers near the top or the arrangement

      Delete
    2. Hi Karen, it's a card that the Queen wrote - the contents were kept private (as it should be). A beautiful, dignified send off.

      Delete
    3. That might have been the Queen's private note which accompanied her flowers. Several commentators recognized her personal stationery.

      Delete
    4. Thank you. I was thinking along those lines. Beautiful.
      Just such a touching ceremony.........so many symbolic moments in remembering his life.

      Delete
    5. Thank you. I was thinking along those lines. Beautiful.
      Just such a touching ceremony.........so many symbolic moments in remembering his life.

      Delete
    6. Thank you. I was thinking along those lines. Beautiful.
      Just such a touching ceremony.........so many symbolic moments in remembering his life.

      Delete
  25. I didn't get to see it, but I should be able to find it somewhere--maybe BritBox.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
  26. It's how all funerals should be. The most moving part was the Highland piper leaving but still playing until it was just a whisper.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Northriding9:17 am

      I agree, The sight of him walking towards the open door and the sound slowly fading as he went through it was very moving. The lament was Flowers of the Forest. It was played at my father's funeral.

      Delete
  27. I watched the funeral live I found it to be more moving and dignified without all the eulogies I think the choices of the readings and the singing of the choir, the piper and just family together made it more human somehow, also easier on the grieving family they deserved this private time better than having to shake hands and listen to speeches from world leaders and people in power.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sacrilege for some, I know, but I really did find the service itself over-long and thoroughly boring- but maybe because I was expecting it, because of circumstances, to have been significantly curtailed. However, I do realise that it had been programmed by the Duke himself, so who am I to complain? But in the event I spent most of the time playing on my laptop, the occasional pang of sadness notwithstanding.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I watched live from Australia at midnight and went through half a box of tissues. 😒

    ReplyDelete
  30. I thought it was a moving and dignified service. The music was beautiful and I wish my funeral could be so wonderful! I need to go buy more tissues for my house as I think I used them all.

    ReplyDelete

I love all comments Except abusive ones from arseholes