R-E-S-P-E-C-T

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Apart from the first moments after I heard of the Queen's death, the magnitude of events since then has been too great to comprehend fully, and I have viewed the subsequent proceedings with dispassionate gaze. But I find that watching the live stream of mourners pausing by the Queen's coffin to pay their respects is a deeply moving spectacle. 

After a long, long wait to enter Westminster Hall, nearly everyone in the silent queue pauses by the royal bier to make some little homage to their late Sovereign: a bow, a curtsy, the sign of the cross, or some creative combination. People in line behind them pause patiently to let them do their thing before moving forward (do not try this in America). Members and veterans of HM Forces (I suppose; no one but the honour guard is in uniform) halt at attention facing the coffin, swing the right arm up in a stiffly proper salute, then turn on their heels and step off smartly. An astonishing number of Englishwomen (I suppose; I haven't checked their passports), old and young, do in fact know how to do a proper curtsy. Others do just a shy, quick bob, or blow a kiss as if seeing off a dear friend on a long journey. 

Folks with a vaguely Asian look do a thoughtful bow and gesture, holding the palms together before their faces, which for all I know might be a Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist thing. One older man in a flowing tunic, of Levantine mien with a brilliant ponytail of snow-white hair and a full, trim beard to match, bows low to the Queen, and on rising blows a kiss with both hands and puts his palms together reverently:  all this done in one solemn, continuous, balletic movement that is a thing of beauty. Not a few young hipsters in skinny jeans and fashionable trainers pause to make a bow with all apparent reverence; one wonders if they have ever bowed to anyone or anything before. Old men and old ladies struggle out of wheelchairs to make their act of obeisance before the catafalque. Couples and families with children in tow line up two, four, or six abreast, and bow in unison. I've even seen a few folks actually genuflect on one knee as if before an icon, paying devout homage to the beloved Monarch. 

All this is even more moving when you recollect that every one of these folks has waited 8, 10, 12 hours, or more, and walked miles in sun and rain, some of them all through the night, just to make that one brief show of respect.  It was that important to them.  Like medieval pilgrims bound for the shrine of a favorite saint, they were determined to do it, no matter how long the way or painful the path.  If that is not love, then what is?

And if the dear old Queen is not a saint, who is?  Seventy years of unremitting, selfless service must surely count for something in Heaven, as it does on earth.

 

Turning from the sublime to the fabulous - curiously, I've noticed very few obvious gays in the crowds. They've gotten so embedded in society now, you can hardly tell them from the rest of the population, can you?  Amazing.  It really takes one to know one, anymore.  The gays were already out and proud in noticeable numbers when I was there in 1976, and some of them even cruised innocent, still-closeted me up and down, to my great embarrassment. (If I'd had more courage, I could have had a lot more fun during my stay; but never mind that now.  It's all Waterloo under the bridge.)  

I have seen only one or two male couples, and one or two female couples, which seems odd; but the straight guys have turned up in droves, singles, couples, and groups.  I've often noticed over the years, during the Queen's famous walkabouts, that the spectators are mostly all women, children, and the elderly, with very few manly men to be seen. (Except among the royal guardsmen, of course, who are generally splendid examples of British manhood.)  I had wondered in the back of my mind if showing up at royal occasions was not considered an effeminate thing over there. But these crowds pouring into Westminster Hall are chock-a-block with regular guys of all ages, kinds, and conditions, which says a lot about the British monarchy, and about this Monarch in particular. 

And still they file in, hour after hour, all ages, sexes, races and religions, to express with their hands and bodies what they can hardly say with their tongues. It is all quite touching, these myriads of ordinary men, women, and children from all walks and ways of life - together with some notables who joined the queue, such as Mrs. May and her husband, and the sports star David Beckham, who steadfastly waited in line, alone with no entourage, an appalling 13 hours - demonstrating not merely their respect but also their love for the longest-reigning queen in all history. The quiet, patient, dutiful, humble service of this Queen across threescore years and ten has struck a resounding chord with billions of hearts all around the world, who now know what it is they have lost, and mourn. 

Some members of Parliament in their tributes last weekend suggested various epithets for Her late Majesty: Elizabeth the Great, Elizabeth the Good, Elizabeth the Faithful, and so on. All of those have merit; but in my view, it would be most fitting if Elizabeth II went down in history as simply the Queen of Hearts.

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Russ Recommends:  For most of my life it was quite rare to see the Queen on television except when there was a royal wedding or something.  But since the YouTube era began, many, many films and videos about the Queen and the royal family have been available.  Not all of them are worth watching; some made in recent years are simply exploitation flicks, little more than clickbait, full of errors, lies, and sensational gossip.  Nasty stuff designed to turn a quick buck.

But if you are unfamiliar with the Queen's life and reign - and wonder why she is so beloved by so many - here are three very well made documentaries I recommend highly.  (If you search around, you might find copies with even better video and sound qualities; these are what's available on YouTube.)

1.  Elizabeth R, 1992

Thirty years ago, the Queen allowed BBC cameras to record a full year of her life and work, from the fall of 1990 to the end of summer, 1991.  The Queen was about 64 then, a youthful, energetic grandmother, and an experienced monarch at the top of her game.  Most educational and enjoyable, with a lovely soundtrack to accompany a wide variety of public and private moments, and some voice-overs by Her Majesty herself.  Simply the best film about the Queen ever made.

 

 2. Windsor Castle: A Royal Year - The Banquet (Part 1 of 3), 1992

In 2005, the BBC again filmed a year in the Queen's life, this time centering on events in and around Windsor Castle, culminating in a state banquet for the President of France, the after-dinner entertainment being a command performance by the London cast of Les Miserables, of all things.  Which just goes to show what a great sense of humour the Queen had.

3.  The Queen:  A Life in Film - Duty and Destiny  (Part 1 of 9), 2008

This first episode summarizes the Queen's life from birth to coronation.  It features interviews with a number of courtiers, relatives, and friends of the Queen, and apart from the sometimes catty comments of self-appointed "royal experts," is a very informative piece of journalism.  All the other episodes are on YouTube as well, if you want to see them.

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