End of the century

At approx half six yesterday evening, Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth had died.

News came at lunchtime that she was ill and under supervision of her doctor, but that the BBC had seen not only to break out the black ties, but cleared the schedule on BBC1 all afternoon showed that the news was more serious than the bland announcement seemed to say.

Later news that the family had been called to gather showed that the end was indeed near.

I am no monarchist. Indeed I have joked that I would seel them to my American friends as they seemed to so like the concept, though in a different country.

When she took the crown, the UK was already seing its Emplire crumble.

After a long six year world warm many wanted self-detirmination, and got it. The Empire changed to the Commonwealth, an idea that took hold, when it wasn't clear at the start it would.

I heard it said with her passing, the 20th Century finally ended, as her reign lasted the final 48 years of it, and she is a direct link with the interwar years as well as serving in the Army herself.

I wished her no ill.

In being a military vetran and being a republican is not usual, indeed one friend found it very odd. In answer, I say I served my country rather than the Queen, which makes more sense, even if in saluting officers you are aluting their Queen's Commission rather than their rank

The country is going mad, Queen shaped clouds and double rainbows apparently showing Nature herself is mourning. Football has been cancelled for tonight and all of the weekend's game in the Prem, EFL and National League are all off.

I have not listened to the radio since Wednesday, as last night was to be the live broadcast of the Mercury Prize on 6 Music, but that was cancelled too. So, I have no idea if just ournful music is being played, of if any of the BBC channels are broadcasting as normal or not.

Growing up, the wedding of Princess Anne and Capatain Mark Philips was broadcast live and a day off from school. The Queen's funeral will not be a day off for schools or for anyone. Probably.

Later, in 1986, it is barely believeable, but the Royals arranged and took part in "It's a Royal Knockout", as her younger sons and partners tred to brink "the firm" up to date. Don't search YouTube for it, its really bad.

And then, in 1999, The Process of Wales died, and the Royals failed to mourn. At least at first. Failure to have the Royal Standard at half mast angered the nation, so a decade of positive stories followed, attempting to show Charles and his mistress in a better light. It partly worked.

In recent years, Prince Andrew has been directly linked to a sex trafficer in the US and has paid off one of the under-aged girls he "partied" with. The firm stumped up some of the £12 million. Andrew is trying very hard to get back hs formal titles and become a full time royal, when in reality he should be in the US facing charges. This is something that is glossedover by the Mail and Express, who would rather stir up hatred towards Meghan.

What time to be alive.

My hope is that heritage weekend goes ahead as planned tomorrow and I can visit the dozen or so churches I have planned.

And that's all I plan to say about that.

Life goes on.

Though politics is on hold for at least ten days, as the cost of living crisis gets ever closer.