Norman and the Coronation

[anotherbanana]

His application to be in the Abbey on 6th rebuffed, Norman has decorated his barrel and the streets around with miles of bunting and photos of Charles 111 and his Queen, as well as playing martial music over indiscreetly placed loudspeakers.

He has also got hold of a dance troupe known as the Gay Gordons, dressed them in Guard’s uniforms and has them parading up and down what is known as Barrel Road. The gendarmes were called but he was able to show them that the guns were made of wood and the bayonets of chocolate covered in foil. There is still the issue of them dragooning passers by the contribute to the Royal Fund (aka Norman’s Fund for Entertaining Ladies!). 

His takings have gone through the roof!

Now, how are you going to mark this momentous occasion, party, **** up privately, day of telly? 

Do tell.

 

[Harnser]

"His takings have gone through the poof!"

?!

[DraytonBoy]

OH informed me at the weekend that she wants to watch it, looks like I'll be working on my own.

[Lehaut]

Ditto DraytonBoy!

And, AnotherBannana what happened to the other 109 Charles?

[anotherbanana]

OK, 1+1+1!🤪

[Gardian]

This sort of ‘event’ always generates loads of “I hate it / I love it” opinions, not terribly surprisingly.

For me, if it all wasn’t happening at all and Charles had simply acceded to the throne, I’d have been perfectly happy.  But Mrs G will be glued to it throughout, and I’ll freely concede that I’ll probably watch more than a bit of it ......... if for no other reason that there won’t be much else on !   Except maybe yet another showing of “Where Eagles Dare” or some other well-worn WWII film.

However, what I don’t understand is the people who are already camping out in the Mall.  Four nights ?

On the other spectrum, there’ll be somebody who tries to glue them-self on to something - a police officer, a horse, even a coach.  

Anyway ........... happy Coronation everybody !

😬

[DaveLister]

14 hours ago, Gardian said:

even a coach

An image comes to mind of an extinct rebellion protester tied to the front of the carriage like a scene from mad max. Now that would be worth watching 😀

[anotherbanana]

Norman would volunteer, I am sure, for the attention!

[anotherbanana]

What great music that was in the Abbey.

[Judith]

Now that, AB, I can attest to .. a necessary ceremony, but nicely updated as much as needed / possible, and with glorious music, inclusive and gender irrelevant (at last!), and typical British weather!  What more do you want on a gloomy day!  What I cannot stand is the multitudinous repeats there will be .. discussions, etc,  Ok, a repeat in the eveing for those who wer working, and then, enough .. but it is an accepted fact by all that the Brits do ceremony better than anybody else, even acceptiing we had centuries of practice it it!  Imuch enjoyed it all.

 

[Gardian]

I have to admit that I watched most of it.

IMO, the Abbey service did go on for quite a long time, but that’s just my impatience probably.

The thing that I really admired about the whole thing was the sheer organisational brilliance of the day.  Now, of course they didn’t start with a ‘blank canvas’ on the day of the late Queen’s death - many of the plans would already have been laid down.

However, just consider all the details that had to be fine-tuned, from when attendees at the Abbey needed to turn up, to vehicle availability, to ‘what do we do when this or that goes wrong?’.

There will have been hiccups today, but none were immediately obvious.

[DraytonBoy]

Given the scale of the organisation required it is disappointing that the country struggles so badly in other areas such asylum processing or building a high speed rail track. I can only assume that yesterday's event had very little governmental input. 

[anotherbanana]

I suspect that the military or people with substantial military experience were behind it.

The government depends on the Civil Service who seem determined to bring it down by annoying the population as much as possible.

[cajal]

4 hours ago, DraytonBoy said:

the country struggles so badly in other areas such as asylum processing

I have to profess to having no knowledge whatsoever how asylum applications are assessed or processed. It appears to me, however, that someone who enters a country, via a rubber dinghy, having already disposed of their passport, paperwork and cellphone inevitably will suffer extreme, self-inflicted, delays with their application for asylum. Ya pays ya money........

[DraytonBoy]

4 minutes ago, cajal said:

I have to profess to having no knowledge whatsoever how asylum applications are assessed or processed.

At the end of 2022 their were 166000 people stuck in the 'asylum backlog', this has nothing to do with illegal boat crossings. 

[NickP]

18 hours ago, DraytonBoy said:

At the end of 2022 their were 166000 people stuck in the 'asylum backlog', this has nothing to do with illegal boat crossings. 

So are you saying that the illegal boat people are not claiming asylum?

[DraytonBoy]

12 hours ago, NickP said:

So are you saying that the illegal boat people are not claiming asylum?

No, I'm saying that even without those arriving on small boats they'd still be over 100000 stuck in the asylum processing system because it's completely broken.

[Gardian]

Anyway ........... setting aside the asylum processing system.

What did everybody think about the the whole Coronation thing?

My (very personal) view:

• The Abbey service was too long (by 20 mins or so) and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon was unmemorable
• The military turnout was exemplary - nothing to add to that
• Shame about the weather, particularly for the people & the flypast
• The Concert was really good in parts - Lionel Ritchie & Take That in particular.
• BBC coverage excellent

 

[Lehaut]

Just widening the "whole coronation thing" a bit (I did not watch it, but my wife did and shares some of your plus points).

According to the news today (9 May), the police have called round to the house of one of the anti monarchy protestors and apologised for arresting him.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65527007

Allegedly his organisation had cleared their plans before with the police.  UK is meant to be a free country.  Between my wife and I we have over 40 years service to HM, and are both in favour of the Monarchy.  We accept that not everyone has the same view.  A coronation is one of those rare events when both sides of the argument should be allowed some (peaceful) protest/opposition.

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Lehaut

[NickP]

17 hours ago, Gardian said:

Anyway ........... setting aside the asylum processing system.

What did everybody think about the the whole Coronation thing?

My (very personal) view:

• The Abbey service was too long (by 20 mins or so) and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon was unmemorable
• The military turnout was exemplary - nothing to add to that
• Shame about the weather, particularly for the people & the flypast
• The Concert was really good in parts - Lionel Ritchie & Take That in particular.
• BBC coverage excellent

 

Ditto to most of what you said: I thought Lionel Richie wasn't up to his normal standard, Take That? not on my radar.  Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel's performance of YNWA, excellant. I thought the military musicians were superb, and I bet they loved playing in a very different scenario to their daily grind. The BBC do these huge occasions wonderfully well, the whole show was beautifully lit and the lighting effects with the drones towards the end fabulous, a big hats of to the drone operators. A shame that the BBC doesn't do the normal daily shows with the same skill, but there is a reason. For these huge prestigious events they will bring in the best people of all crafts that are available and not worry about the cost. For everyday tele, the bean counters are in charge and often for budgetary reasons inexperienced technicians are used as they are cheaper, and it shows on the screen. I also thought Charles and Camilla plus the family did really well especially little Louis.

Edited May 9, 2023 by NickP

[alittlebitfrench]

The French were facinated with the coronation….as they are generally with everything UK. The French love the UK.

Funny old world innit.

My French elderly Aunt’s were saying how they watched the Queens coronation back in the day.

I watched a bit…but it is not my thing.

It was good to see that Macron did not manage to upset anyone or a nation….planetary system during his stay in the UK. 

Things like this make you proud. 
 

And there is a big fuss about the police arresting a few peeps.

Jeeesus…have the UK folks seen Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Angers, Rennes, Nantes recently.

The UK is doing fine. France…..not so much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by alittlebitfrench

[DaveLister]

Hey, ALBF

How's your hand?

[alittlebitfrench]

10 hours ago, DaveLister said:

Hey, ALBF

How's your hand?

Its..still attached to my arm.

Stiches and drain are out but it still very very swollen. Just about play the piano again.

The scare is very ugly. I look like a gangster.

But it is what it is.

Thanks for asking