London Bridge has fallen

I started cleaning out the room I use as an office properly today (I’d cleared some of the things yesterday) so that I could start on the decorating. By about 11:30 am, I felt like I’d done enough to allow me to get some paint samples from B&Q, so I went for a walk. I did find some paints, but I am not sure if I picked up a big enough selection. I also failed to find sockets to match the broken ones, which will be quite frustrating when we eventually get the repairs done.

Listening to the news at lunchtime, it seems there was a bit of a commotion in the House of Commons, with various people apparently being informed that the Queen is ill. By early afternoon, the main BBC channel had gone to a news update with Huw Edwards trying to fill time with very few updates. It was clearly significant. ITV followed at 5 pm by doing the same, and within an hour or so, the formal announcement was made.

"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

It’s really hard to know what to write, as it all feels a bit strange. I don’t think it will properly sink in for a few days, and it’ll be interesting to see how the nation reacts. Right now, there’s more or less total coverage on the main television networks.

The image is of a 2002 Golden Jubilee bookmark. Somewhere, I have memorabilia from the 1977 Silver Jubilee. Of course, we were celebrating the Platinum Jubilee earlier this year. I’ve never known another monarch; most people in Britain have not.


RIP, Your Majesty.