S06.E10: Sleep, Dearie Sleep

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

The Queen gives Charles the green light to wed Camilla. Tasked with planning her own funeral ahead of her 80th birthday, she faces an existential crisis.

Series finale; dropping Thursday, December 14, 2023.

[formerlyfreedom]

Reminder: discuss the episode.  This is not the place to talk about what MAY have happened or reports, articles, books, or other media that have come out since. It is also not the place to talk about what happened past the end of the episode. Please take discussion to the Season Six: History topic or The Royals forum as appropriate. Thank you!

[BloomsburyRez]

I will have more thoughts on this and other episodes later but first I was happy they continued the tradition of a “cast photo” at the end of an even series number (complete with Phillip exasperated at the photographer). I loved the scene with Elizabeth and Phillip in the chapel and thought their dialogue and the actor’s choices echoed many scenes with Claire Foy and Matt Smith in those early seasons with their comfortable teasing, complete with Phillip joking “put a word in for me” when Elizabeth was going to pray. Finally those last scenes with Elizabeth were so so well done. I loved Imelda Staunton alone but was also very happy we got a sort of three queens final bow. I absolutely loved the first four seasons but hated last season and was worried that like so many shows it would fall apart at the end of the run. Happily it “stuck the landing”. Well done.

 

[Snazzy Daisy]

The way QE talks to William and Harry about their father’s wishes to marry is very telling. William’s opinion matters a lot more than Harry’s because he is a “fucking company man”.

Am not really interested in Charles/Camilla affair since the beginning but seeing them in that church blessing ceremony, atoning for their adulterous sins is quite satisfying.

The punishment for “Harry dresses like a Nazi” antic is limited to farm chores only??!

The scene where QE reflects the future of the monarchy with Phillip (and his blunt truths) in the Windsor Chapel is well done. 👍🏻

Love the cameos from Olivia Colman and Claire Foy. This time, the creative decision to let the older QE having conversations with her two younger selves to demonstrate her struggles don’t really feel out of place. 

Overall - it’s a solid, poignant conclusion to The Crown with compelling performance by Imelda Staunton. 👏🏻

[Roseanna]

32 minutes ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

The way QE talks to William and Harry about their father’s wishes to marry is very telling. William’s opinion matters a lot more than Harry’s because he is a “fucking company man”.  👏🏻

William is indeed an adult who can look at the large picture (the boys can have a better relationship with their father after he ceases to resent that he isn't allowed marry Camilla) whereas Harry is a rebellious teen who had just caused disgrace to him and his family.

The Queen also sees the large picture: it's better that Charles is married when he becomes the king than that he is "living in sin" (let's remember that he is then also Defensor of Faith). 

[dubstepford wife]

Harry: "You know, William II was probably murdered by his brother, Henry.  Funny parallel, huh?  But of course, I would never do that to you!"

Will: (in his head) "If this were 1000 years ago, you totally would."

[Straycat80]

I liked that they brought back Olivia and Claire to have conversations with the queen struggling with decisions in her later years. I always thought Charles and Camilla were soul mates and should have been together from the beginning. How different things would have been!
I loved the finale. Well done. I’m going to miss this series and I’m sure I’ll rewatch it many times. 

[mooncalf]

I recently rewatched season 1 and the conversation between older and younger Elizabeth around stepping aside for Charles, the younger generation, is a nice parallel to "Hyde Park Corner," when Anthony Eden is talking to George VI to ask his friend Winston Churchill to step aside for a younger PM. The King says something like, "Albert Windsor was murdered by his brother," and younger QEII tells the older Queen in this episode "don't go looking for Elizabeth Windsor. You buried her years ago."

[AZChristian]

The last 5 minutes took my breath away. I shall miss the series. 

[peridot]

I rolled my eyes at Charles saying how heroic Camilla was.  I'm glad the Queen ripped apart that idea.  I love that everyone knows how eager Charles is to be the king and they mock him for it. 

I wasn't expecting to see the previous Queens, but it was well done.  It's interesting that the middle age version of the Queen was encouraging her to throw in the towel, while the younger one wanted her to stay fast to her duty.

I didn't understand the looks between Anne and the other brother during the photography session.  I cracked up at Philip's irritation with the photographer, though.  I didn't blame him one bit.

William did seem two-faced about the costume, though.  Everyone at the costume shop was very nonchalant about it, which surprised me.  Why the hell was that costume even made? 

It was sad that Harry's concerns about the wedding were looked over and that William felt numb about it.

Damn at Philip calling the next generation as Rome burning down!  The Range Rover casket is very odd.

[dubbel zout]

14 hours ago, Roseanna said:

The Queen also sees the large picture: it's better that Charles is married when he becomes the king than that he is "living in sin" (let's remember that he is then also Defensor of Faith). 

She also didn't want another Edward VIII situation.

I wonder if the queen was the one who told William and Harry that Charles and Camilla wanted to get married.

I loved that the queen wanted a quickie funeral service in Scotland. My mom and I always joked that if I ever got married, I'd have to have the 20-minute Presbyterian special or my dad would never last. 

The queen's needling about Iraq to Tony Blair was razor sharp. I wonder if she really made those kinds of comments.

Ugh, the amount of emotional propping Camillia seemed to have to do with Charles was endless. 

[SeanC]

16 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

The way QE talks to William and Harry about their father’s wishes to marry is very telling. William’s opinion matters a lot more than Harry’s because he is a “fucking company man”.

William's opinion matters more because he's the heir and Harry isn't.

[Spartan Girl]

This bit from Vulture’s recap of the episode cracked me up:

Quote

Charles then gets the call he’s been waiting for: the wedding is a go! But even the official proposal feels like The Crown is trolling Camilla: Right before Charles bursts into the greenhouse where Camilla is gardening with the happy news, the camera rests on Olivia Williams, WHO HAS A CIGARETTE DANGLING OUT OF HER MOUTH. Ladies and gentlemen, the queen of England.

 

[Spartan Girl]

Okay, now my full review of the episode.

Because this is the last time I’ll get to say it: SHUT UP, CHARLES!!!! You want to marry Camilla, fine, but don’t insult us by making you and Camilla out to be tragic heroes. Elizabeth was right to call him out that neither of them were heroic in breaking up two marriages, regardless of Camilla’s husband’s own infidelity (she knew she was a cheater and chose him anyway).

And OMFG the fact that he had the audacity to snap at the boys “Don’t make my wedding day a misery, I’ve waited too long for it!” Screw you!

I did love Philip yelling at the costume shop over the inaccuracy of the Nazi outfit. Hee hee.

Camilla’s wedding blue wedding outfit with the feathers was tacky. My mom said she would have loved it if Ghost Diana came back to haunt her for the wedding.

Nice moment with Elizabeth and Philip at the end, the two of them having peeked at each other’s funeral plans. LOL, so Philip to point out that whatever happens with the next generation won’t be their problem because they’ll be dead.

As much as I loved seeing Olivia and Claire again, there’s no way she even considered stepping down. No way. Although I think it’s unintentionally funny that she wound up basically saying: “Fine, you can marry her but you’re still getting the crown over my dead body!”

I’m mixed about the ending. Seasons 5 and 6 felt like such a different show and not in a good way. Still, this show was good while it lasted.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Spartan Girl

[dubbel zout]

3 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

And OMFG the fact that he had the audacity to snap at the boys “Don’t make my wedding day a misery, I’ve waited too long for it!” Screw you!

I actually gasped at that. That was amazingly selfish, even from Charles. And just utterly thoughtless to say that to the sons of Diana.

3 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I did love Philip yelling at the costume shop over the inaccuracy of the Nazi outfit. Hee hee.

That scene was perfection. The combination of terror and WTF? on the store employees' faces and then Philip having a satisfied laugh afterward.

[shipmate]

The ending made me cry. So well done. This show is a treasure with some some of the best casting and cinematography of anything I’ve ever watched.

Edited December 17, 2023 by shipmate

[Ellaria]

8 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Because this is the last time I’ll get to say it: SHUT UP, CHARLES!!!! You want to marry Camilla, fine, but don’t insult us by making you and Camilla out to be tragic heroes. Elizabeth was right to call him out that neither of them were heroic in breaking up two marriages, regardless of Camilla’s husband’s own infidelity (she knew she was a cheater and chose him anyway).

And OMFG the fact that he had the audacity to snap at the boys “Don’t make my wedding day a misery, I’ve waited too long for it!” Screw you!I

My thoughts exactly! There is rarely a moment when Charles isn’t making it all about himself. Ack!

I’m sad to see this show come to an end. However, the last two seasons often felt like a different show with a different purpose. I really didn’t enjoy the focus on Charles, Diana and William. Regardless, Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce were wonderful despite being pushed aside in the narrative. Their last scene together was perfect.

[txhorns79]

On 12/15/2023 at 6:46 PM, peridot said:

I rolled my eyes at Charles saying how heroic Camilla was.  I'm glad the Queen ripped apart that idea. 

It gives you a nice idea of how delusional and tone deaf Charles must be.  She didn't run into a burning building to save orphans Charles, she had a long term affair with you. 

I enjoyed Colman and Foy returning, and noticed that Colman is substantially taller than Imelda Staunton. 

It was a nice way to end the series. 

[Lonesome Rhodes]

The final moments as Elizabeth strode towards the light were beautiful and perfect.  They screamed of reward for a life faithful to something larger than mortality.  All I could think was, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  To me, this was the ultimate and final word from Morgan as to his take on her.

Her wedding reception speech was an absolute hoot.  I loved the chastening of the prayer as Charles and Camilla were on the kneelers in front of the world.  I also appreciated the crooked, imo, senior clergy who came to meet with Elizabeth.  Modern day Pharisees at work.  They sure knew how to play it, though.  Of course they did.

Philip's final appearance was very generous of Morgan.  I was glad of it.  It was congruent with the aging, and loyal, Philip we had seen. 

 

  

[Brn2bwild]

I was not high on Imelda Staunton's performance as Elizabeth II these last two seasons, but she was really moving in this episode.  

I'm a little suprised that the show chose to go with an ambiguous view of the monarchy after Elizabeth.  Promotions suggested, and the earlier episodes seemed to be building toward, a portrayal of Charles and his marriage to Camilla as a triumph.  Instead, cautionary music played during the wedding preparation/wedding scene.  William and Harry are portrayed as unhappy with their father's decision, as opposed to their letting go of their animosity toward Camilla and accepting her in their father's life.  Then the Queen yanks the rug out from under Charles by refusing to step down. 

And even though William is being portrayed as learning to put the Crown first and following in his grandmother's sensible footsteps, the show does not seem entirely sold on him either.  Or there wouldn't have been those lines about "the rest of them" making a mess of ruling.

[dubbel zout]

16 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I enjoyed Colman and Foy returning

Same, but there's no way Elizabeth at any point in her reign would have seriously considered abdication. The scar from Uncle Nazi was always there. And she did truly believe her coronation was a divine rite, what with the anointing of oil. That's why that part of the ceremony wasn't visible to the people in Westminster Abbey or televised. 

I can believe that occasionally she did have a what-if fantasy where she wasn't queen.

[Helena Dax]

I didn't like parts of the episode, but everything Elizabeth-related was great and I loved it as a series finale, especially with the appearances of the younger Elizabeths, which was a nice touch. I also enjoyed it when she set Charles straight about Camilla being heroic. Like yes, she's obviously the love of his life and she's probably good for him, but Charles always has to take these things a step too far. Sometimes I think the show depicts Elizabeth as a very cold mother to Charles, but other times I understand why she would have so little patience with him.

I agree that it was ambivalent about Charles, Harry and William, but I sort of understand it, because who knows what will happen and perhaps the show didn't want to risk a prediction that might become false in the future. 

[Roseanna]

13 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

Then the Queen yanks the rug out from under Charles by refusing to step down. 

I think just the opposite: the Queen saved Charles and, before all, Camilla by giving the public time to get used to her as Charles's wife. 

Not to speak of William who would have become the Prince of Wales in his twenties - his granny gave him time to live a normal life as long as possible. 

[Ohiopirate02]

On 12/15/2023 at 10:18 PM, Spartan Girl said:

Charles then gets the call he’s been waiting for: the wedding is a go! But even the official proposal feels like The Crown is trolling Camilla: Right before Charles bursts into the greenhouse where Camilla is gardening with the happy news, the camera rests on Olivia Williams, WHO HAS A CIGARETTE DANGLING OUT OF HER MOUTH. Ladies and gentlemen, the queen of England.

Well, I mean, it is an accurate portrayal of Camilla. There were no artistic liberties taken here.

[hurrrz]

I think this did stick the landing for the show as a whole, but this last season was extremely weirdly paced. They spent a lot of time in the 90s, but then completely disregard a lot of the more recent issues with Harry. I am shocked since it would have been something fascinating to explore from inside the palace story-wise. 

Harry really gets a bad angle here, vs his company-man brother depiction that gets the monarchy in and out. 

I doubt the Queen ever considered stepping down, I sometimes wonder where these arcs come from. 

I felt that long walk towards the light at the end was somewhat of a depiction of how long she still hung around after Charles' wedding. That scene dragged a bit. 

 

But overall satisfying enough for a series finale.

 

[BuckeyeLou]

I admit to crying at the end of this series, with the 3 Queens gathered together & young Elizabeth in uniform, saluting her Elder self for her devoted service.   I do not think we will see another Monarch like Elizabeth II for a long time.  

[formerlyfreedom]

Folks, let’s please take discussion of Operation London Bridge to the Season Six: History Beyond topic. Thank you!

[buttersister]

Quote

Ugh, the amount of emotional propping Camillia seemed to have to do with Charles was endless. 

She’s the mother he never had and he can sleep with her. I think they made that quite clear.

In other news: Well played, Imelda! And J Pryce, who made Phillip seem tolerable. 

[Roseanna]

On 12/19/2023 at 8:29 AM, buttersister said:

She’s the mother he never had and he can sleep with her. I think they made that quite clear.

I think you are on the right track although I would like to remind that as a kid Charles was used to be mothered by Queen Mother and his nanny. Their coddling, Philip's severity and Mountbatten's old-fashioned advise weren't a good combination.

Later, Camilla seems to have been the only person who on the hand showed genuine interest and respect towards him and his work (actually, in the famous phone conversation the most important part was IMO when he read her his speech and they discussed about it), on the other hand could treat him equally and stop his self-pity.  

[sistermagpie]

This season was rough to get through--except for Ritz, which was hard for different reasons.

A friend of mine described the guy playing Harry as looking like a very Shakespearean actor who didn't play leads, who was playing the part as if he was auditioning for Iago. LOL! So true. He was constantly shooting murderous looks at everyone. I wound up liking him, stupid costume and all. I guess that was their nod to everything we know will happen with him in the future, but the real Harry seems more lively. In this series it seemed like he he was always partying out of revenge.

Charles was insufferable to the end. I don't believe the Queen ever considered stepping down for a second, of course, but I believe Charles could have dreamed about it. And of course it was silly to think that if she did decide to step down she'd just announce it at his wedding and not go through months of prep with advisors before announcing it to THE PEOPLE and not giving it to Charles as a present. It was fitting that the last ep, from Charles pov, was about him once more demanding something personally, being happy when he got it and irritated when he didn't. Him claiming this all made him or Camlla heroic was the icing on the cake. (It's not like Camilla didn't want to lay low in her position!)

I did like the ultimate convo setting out the reality that none of these people are King material. The best said of William is that he was clearly considering the job and what it entailed seriously. I noticed they gave him a whole "how offensive" reaction to the theme of the fancy dress, yet he doesn't step in and say no to the Nazi dress. 

In the end it really does seem like what sets Elizabeth apart from them is what Philip described as understanding the system, which no one even inside it did now. She saw the role as having importance as exactly what it was while other people often seemed to see it as an odd burden they carried even while taking the advantages for granted. She would never have wanted to skip over Charles, but there's a reason everyone considered if that wouldn't be best.

It made me think about back in Ruritania when Tony Blair, iirc, suggests something about Catholics being the succession? Because he's thinking of doing away with outdated prejudices, but the queen of course logically points out that the head of the Church of England can't go to a different church. 

[Gregg247]

Charles complaining that Camilla was heroic and was never fully appreciated for her actions reminded me of the episode of "The Office" when Michael claimed that "Holly and I are like Romeo & Juliet, and the rest of this office ise like the dragon that kept them apart".  LOL

Somebody on this show must have it in for Prince Harry because he really comes across as a complete jerk here (and the actor plays him as if he's Loki in "The Avengers").  I've never really followed the royal family in that much detail, but I always thought Harry was considered a rascal, or a lovable scamp.  This fictionalized version of him seems much more malevolent.

[jschoolgirl]

I wish we could've seen Jared Harris as George VI again, either in this episode or "Ritz."

I love Jared Harris, and I loved him as the king.

[Zaffy]

Goodbye "The Crown".
A very well made series about extremely boring ppl.
I still believe the whole series should not have been more than 20 episodes in total. The last 2 seasons seemed to last forever.
"Ritz" was a wonderful episode even if at times quite hard to watch.
The rest was boring and sometimes really annoying. Annoying mostly because of Charles. I have no clue how accurate was Charles' portrayal, but Geez...he is one of the most annoying TV characters, ever! I could not stand of him, especially the Dominic West one, who I think he was so miscast that managed to make Charles even more intolerable.

Best episode of the series: Aberfan.

[Blakeston]

The end was very touching, and I have no issue with them showing Elizabeth weighing the options of abdicating and staying on.

But I hate that they wanted us to believe that she was seriously considering it, to the point of including an abdication announcement in her wedding speech for Camilla and Charles, and deciding at last minute whether or not to say it!

There's no way anyone in the royal family actually believed she was going to do it, either.

[LadyIrony]

It was sad watching the Queen dealing with Philips funeral plans. I think she would have liked to spend the time in a happier manner. 

I found this finale to be an anti climax and a bit of a filler ep where not a great deal happened. 

[buttersister]

So the interesting monarchs planned their funeral. The next gen were legitimized. But unloved, if you ask me. And the ones next up are a snooze. So goes The Crown.

[Roseanna]

On 12/25/2023 at 11:32 AM, LadyIrony said:

It was sad watching the Queen dealing with Philips funeral plans. I think she would have liked to spend the time in a happier manner. 

I think that it's a serious kind of denial if a person never thinks about death altough it's the only thing that happens to everyone. Making funeral plans is an act of love towards one's family who is thus spared from many difficult things during their most sorrowful time. 

That applies especially well to Philip who wanted a simple funeral in Windsor.

[LadyIrony]

On 12/27/2023 at 10:23 AM, buttersister said:

So the interesting monarchs planned their funeral. The next gen were legitimized. But unloved, if you ask me. And the ones next up are a snooze. So goes The Crown.

They wouldn’t even need to make anything for the next gen. They are all over the media and we know more about them then we want to. 

[pasdetrois]

Random thought: Charles must bite his lips a lot, because every other scene throughout the series has him doing it. Odd that no real-life photos ever caught that little nervous tic.

Quote

seeing them in that church blessing ceremony, atoning for their adulterous sins is quite satisfying.

Like two guilty school children. Ha.

As others have said, this last episode brought the series to a close in a satisfactory way. For me, it was always about "The Crown" - Elizabeth II. If one is a certain age, one relates to her emotions as she ponders her end and that of her husband.

Edited December 31, 2023 by pasdetrois

[tennisgurl]

This season has been hit or miss, but this episode really stuck the landing. I was really moved seeing the three queens all together and Elizabeth's younger self saluting her as she walks away into the light, I think it was a very fitting and classy tribute. Say what you will about the queen and the monarchy, but she really has been an institution and her dedication to her role in the country is something that not many people have the strength for. It was so great seeing Claire Foy and Olivia Coleman again and I am glad that they both got some screen time with Imelda, seeing them all together I really did feel a sense of continuity between all of them in ways that I have not always. 

I am fine with Charles and Camilla finally getting married. Its a bit silly for them not to be married when everyone knows that they're together and as Elizabeth said, having an unmarried monarch on the throne is a recipe for trouble. I did really enjoy watching them have to eat a bit of crow at least, not getting the full royal wedding treatment (which you know Charles would have wanted) and having to bow and scrape and ask for their sins to be forgiven before they could get the go ahead, they deserve to have some shade thrown at them, especially as Charles continues to make everything about him. Of course it was Elizabeth who actually talked to them about their dad getting remarried, not Charles and Camilla, and he ends up whining about how they're "ruining his big day after he's waited so long" which is a really shitty thing to say on several levels. They already know that Charles was obsessed with Camilla even when he was married to their mother, could he maybe not rub it in? 

As soon as William and Harry mentioned a costume party I was like "oh Harry no you idiot" and yet it still happened. At least we got that hilarious scene where Philip called to ream out the costume shop for having an inaccurate uniform. I am really happy that we got a few more classic Philip bits. We even got one last family picture with Philip getting annoyed and telling them to just take the damn picture. 

The first few seasons were definitely the shows best, but I still overall really enjoyed the show and I am going to miss it and its amazing cast, even though this is absolutely the right time to end the show. I am happy that, even as the show zigzagged all over the place, we came back to where we started, with Elizabeth and the Crown. 

[Roseanna]

9 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I did really enjoy watching them have to eat a bit of crow at least, not getting the full royal wedding treatment (which you know Charles would have wanted) and having to bow and scrape and ask for their sins to be forgiven before they could get the go ahead, they deserve to have some shade thrown at them, especially as Charles continues to make everything about him.

It wasn't not long that a second wedding, or any wedding of middle-aged couple for that matter, used to be small and quiet.

If one has had a big wedding, as both Charles and Camilla had with their respective spouses, why would one want to repeat it? After all, in a private ceremony the couple can concentrate wholly on each other without needing to think about the public and TV.    

[CeeBeeGee]

On 12/17/2023 at 1:33 PM, dubbel zout said:

Same, but there's no way Elizabeth at any point in her reign would have seriously considered abdication.

Totally agree. She was there for life.

The resentful looks from C&C during the Confession of Sin were a bit over the top. That is a very common, rote prayer that Charles has heard all of his life and his taking offense was ridiculous.

 

ETA: I did love everyone's reaction to the piper paying "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep." Especially the singer. So much Celtic music is so gorgeous and tuneful.

Edited January 5 by CeeBeeGee

[MamaMax]

I felt like ERII wouldn't have abdicated in order to shorten Charles' reign as mush as possible LOL. He clearly was champing at the bit to be king, and just as obviously wasn't going to be any good at it.  Limit his time and hopefully he wont screw it up too badly before Wills gets into the driver's seat.   I feel like the Show was kinder than necessary to Charles. making him out as sort of hapless and clueless but mostly well-meaning. IMO, he was/is  more of a spoilt, selfish man-child.  I think he has limited empathy and has a bad case of "no idea how the real world works."  Diana famously wanted the boys to have a bit of "normal" and I  doubt Charles ever had that nor did he ever want it.  

The parts about Harry being a problem and unable to  forgive Charles and Camilla was heavy handed foreshadowing of events to come in the "after the show" universe. 

I was touched by the Goodbye to ERII and thought the last shot was very poignant. She was wearing a color that, as they puled up and back, she sort of melted into the building, becoming a part of it, and the light flooding in the moment of her leaving a lovely image.  

I have no doubt the Royals will never produce her equal.  

[jadecorleone]

On 12/27/2023 at 3:44 AM, Roseanna said:

I think that it's a serious kind of denial if a person never thinks about death altough it's the only thing that happens to everyone. Making funeral plans is an act of love towards one's family who is thus spared from many difficult things during their most sorrowful time. 

That applies especially well to Philip who wanted a simple funeral in Windsor.

Agreed. .

I first did this while stationed at what used to be known as Ft Bragg back in 2002. I was all of 19 and no real assets to my name. Drawing up your will before you are old enough to drink is a surreal experience. But I knew that it was better to get my wishes on paper so there would be no questions.

[dubbel zout]

Making plans for your funeral also saves a ton of time when your actually die, as there's a blueprint for what you want and what is needed. No one has to faff around wondering if you want lilies or gladiolas on the altar.

And for people like the BRF, there are so many details that it has to be relief to know what the person wants, even if some of the stuff is preordained when it's the monarch who dies.

I wonder if Diana left any sort of plan. Her circumstances were sui generis, but I'd think if she'd made some sort of list, things wouldn't have been so messy.

[Shrek]

25 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

 

I wonder if Diana left any sort of plan. Her circumstances were sui generis, but I'd think if she'd made some sort of list, things wouldn't have been so messy.

Or as blown out of all proportion. 

[Notabug]

On 1/19/2024 at 2:12 PM, dubbel zout said:

Making plans for your funeral also saves a ton of time when your actually die, as there's a blueprint for what you want and what is needed. No one has to faff around wondering if you want lilies or gladiolas on the altar.

And for people like the BRF, there are so many details that it has to be relief to know what the person wants, even if some of the stuff is preordained when it's the monarch who dies.

I wonder if Diana left any sort of plan. Her circumstances were sui generis, but I'd think if she'd made some sort of list, things wouldn't have been so messy.

Even if Diana had left a plan, I doubt it would've been followed if only because the tragic circumstances, her young age and the extreme public reaction to her death would've caused it to be modified.  She surely didn't want her young sons, let alone her ex-husband and FIL walking along behind her coffin.  She probably would've preferred private services, at least for her kids.  I think she would've wanted the royal family's involvement to be minimized.

It does make complete sense for the monarch's funeral to be planned to the last detail since there are so many moving parts to the arrangements.  The plans for the Queen's funeral must've been hundreds of pages long and involved dozens of ceremonial events and thousands of participants.  It's really kind of amazing that they were able to pull everything together in the week and a half or so between her death and funeral.

 

[AZChristian]

12 hours ago, Notabug said:

It does make complete sense for the monarch's funeral to be planned to the last detail since there are so many moving parts to the arrangements.  The plans for the Queen's funeral must've been hundreds of pages long and involved dozens of ceremonial events and thousands of participants.  It's really kind of amazing that they were able to pull everything together in the week and a half or so between her death and funeral.

 

I seem to remember in earlier episodes that the Queen Mother was looking out a window at Buckingham Palace.  Someone asked her what all of the guards and band were doing and she replied, "They're practicing my funeral."  

At the queen's age, it would seem likely that everything was ready; all they had to do was set the plan into motion.

[Roseanna]

12 hours ago, Notabug said:

It does make complete sense for the monarch's funeral to be planned to the last detail since there are so many moving parts to the arrangements.  The plans for the Queen's funeral must've been hundreds of pages long and involved dozens of ceremonial events and thousands of participants.  It's really kind of amazing that they were able to pull everything together in the week and a half or so between her death and funeral.

Although planning and arranging the monarch's funeral is laborious, the work is much helped by the funerals of former monarchs, just like coronations. Also irl Elizabeth could choose only such details as music and flowers.  

Instead, Philip had much more freedom to plan his funeral.   

[baileythedog]

On 1/20/2024 at 6:50 PM, Notabug said:

 

It does make complete sense for the monarch's funeral to be planned to the last detail since there are so many moving parts to the arrangements.  The plans for the Queen's funeral must've been hundreds of pages long and involved dozens of ceremonial events and thousands of participants.  It's really kind of amazing that they were able to pull everything together in the week and a half or so between her death and funeral.

 

Not really.  The Queen's death was an incredibly planned for event.  I remember reading an extensive article in the Guardian about it years ago.  

It's been a minute since I've seen this episode, but I think in the show they actually did refer to it as Operation "London Bridge?"