The guards at the catafalque (new word added to my lexicon from this whole endeavour) change every twenty minutes, but standing stock still for that long is enough to do it. I think some of these were her actual bodyguards and may not be used to it. My back would be telling me to move after about 120 seconds.
The Buckingham Palace guards have to stand for two hours (with heavy bearskin hats and no toilet break), but are allowed to march every ten minutes to get the blood flowing. I'd long been told they wiggle their toes to stop fainting, but apparently they do still pass out from time to time.
It’s one of the things that counts heavily against “intelligent” design. Since the heart can push but not pull, the body depends on the flexing of the muscles to squeeze the blood thru the veins on the return trip.
When I was in high school, I took ROTC one year. It was Navy, and we had to wear the black jackets and pants uniforms, not the khakis....all year long.
I bring this up because one day we had to stand at attention at the school's track in 80+ degree weather. After about ten minutes, one student's knees locked and he fell flat. Fortunately, he was able to turn his head while falling so he didn't bust his nose. We all dropped out of attention after that, and they never made us stand in that position for more than five minutes at a time without taking a short break afterward except during inspection.
I caught the coverage of the vigil by the Queen's four children earlier, and found it incredibly touching - it must have proved a very difficult balance for them, fulfilling official and very public duties whilst also coping with their own grief individually and as a family.
Not to trivialize, but the first mention of Westminster Hall made me think of the comic marts that were held there in the 80's. frequented by the likes of Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman.
Assuming you're not joking, it's not the same place. The coffin is in the Palace of Westminster's Westminster Hall - between the House of Commons and Lords.
The comic marts were in Central Hall, Westminster, an old methodist church over the road by St James Park.
I completely forgot I used to go to these until you mentioned it.
Not to trivialize, but the first mention of Westminster Hall made me think of the comic marts that were held there in the 80's. frequented by the likes of Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman.
Assuming you're not joking, it's not the same place. The coffin is in the Palace of Westminster's Westminster Hall - between the House of Commons and Lords.
The comic marts were in Central Hall, Westminster, an old methodist church over the road by St James Park.
I completely forgot I used to go to these until you mentioned it.
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Oops - my mistake. Had I watched more footage of recent events, I would have realised this.
From my perspective it doesn't seem that long ago that we were having street parties to celebrate her Silver Jubilee in 1977, then her Diamond Jubilee in 2002, and most recently her Platinum Jubilee where we again had street parties, instead of closed roads (health and safety and cost) as in 1977, we decorated out houses in bunting and flags, and celebrated on our front drives, neighbours of all colours and creeds celebrating together. That's one of the things i will remember about The Queen, she was a uniting force.
Reading about the Queen’s corgis, and of course getting misty. Corgis have been favorites of mine for as long as I can remember, tho I’ve not owned any. Too much grief brought on by the physical ailments relating to their dwarfism.
From my perspective it doesn't seem that long ago that we were having street parties to celebrate her Silver Jubilee in 1977, then her Diamond Jubilee in 2002
It was 2012! The mind plays tricks -- I was thinking I could remember the extra bank holiday, but I was actually thinking of the bank holiday for the marriage of William and Kate in 2011, which gave us back-to-back bank holiday weekends (which was lovely!)
I'd just quit my job at the time of the Diamond Jubilee so the bank holiday made no odds to me, which is why I don't remember it.
The 2002 jubilee was the Golden Jubilee. And I don't remember it either, though I was working in London at the time.