General Questions & Random Facts about the British Royal Family

[travelguy]

But what about events like the coronation, surely this won't last forever. Or will we have nothing ever to look forward to again

 

[An Ard Ri]

I think its very hard to imagine anything going back to normal anytime soon.

We can but hope!

 

[Iluvbertie]

But what about events like the coronation, surely this won't last forever. Or will we have nothing ever to look forward to again

Until there is a vaccine or a treatment or the virus burns itself out (none of which may ever happen) we won't be able to have large crowds. Social distancing will have to remain so a coronation at WA would have no more than about 500 people in the Abbey compared to the 2000 for William's wedding and 8000 for the Queen's Coronation.

Even on the balcony - social distancing will mean a lot fewer ever there - probably just monarch, spouse, heir apparent and spouse and may their children and the monarch's siblings.

 

[Ista]

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[travelguy]

Hello, in the future when royal people such as Prince Richard, Prince Michael, Prince Edward, and some of the queens children pass away such as Princess Anne, Prince Andrew will there be tv coverage and how much of it do you think there would be?

 

[Lumutqueen]

Hello, in the future when royal people such as Prince Richard, Prince Michael, Prince Edward, and some of the queens children pass away such as Princess Anne, Prince Andrew will there be tv coverage and how much of it do you think there would be?

Do you mean royal coverage of their funerals?

 

[travelguy]

Do you mean royal coverage of their funerals?

yeah, and being the main story on the news

 

[Lumutqueen]

yeah, and being the main story on the news

For funerals being shown on TV, I guess it would depend on the individuals wishes. I could imagine Anne, Edward and Andrews possibly being shown if they were okay with that. The cousins, The Dukes of Gloucester and Kent, and Prince Michael I don't think we'd see their funerals.

News coverage, I don't think any death will cause an interruption to regular viewing other than The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William (at a push for William). I'd say The Queen, Prince Philip, Charles, Camilla, William and Catherine will get main story. To some extent Henry and Meghan might as well depending upon their situation at the time. Anyone below that, could possibly be a main story depending on what had happened that day but I certainly don't think it would receive as much attention, plus it all depends who's on the throne.

 

[Blog Real]

Won't the news of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, Camilla and Catherine cause a regular TV viewing interruption?

 

[Lumutqueen]

Won't the news of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, Camilla and Catherine cause a regular TV viewing interruption?

I'm not sure. Camilla and Catherine when they're Queen perhaps but god forbid anything happening to them beforehand I don't think we'd get an interruption. As for the DOE, I don't think we'd get one, considering his supposed feelings towards a state funeral, I don't think he'd want the fuss.

I don't think The Queen Mother got a "We interrupt this broadcast", but I might be wrong.

 

[Denville]

I'm not sure. Camilla and Catherine when they're Queen perhaps but god forbid anything happening to them beforehand I don't think we'd get an interruption. As for the DOE, I don't think we'd get one, considering his supposed feelings towards a state funeral, I don't think he'd want the fuss.

I don't think The Queen Mother got a "We interrupt this broadcast", but I might be wrong.

Im sure that if Philip went while programmes might not be interrupted, tehre would be an announcement in between programmes.. ie if the news reached the BBC at 3.15 in the afternoon, they would announce it at the end of whatever programme was on then.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Hello, in the future when royal people such as Prince Richard, Prince Michael, Prince Edward, and some of the queens children pass away such as Princess Anne, Prince Andrew will there be tv coverage and how much of it do you think there would be?

The best way to answer this is to look what happened in the past:

The Queen Mother - full coverage, news interruptions when her death was announced, coverage of all the events such as moving her body to London and then to lie in state at Westminster, regular reports from the crowds waiting to pay their respects and then the full funeral coverage at the Abbey. It was only the final internment at Windsor that was private.

Princess Margaret - sister of the Queen and daughter of a King - an announcement heading the news and 'breaking news' reports, no lying in state so no coverage of anything like that, reports that she wanted to be cremated after the funeral service, coverage of some of the royals arriving at St George's for the funeral but no coverage of the service itself, an image of the hearse taking her body to the crematoria.

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester - wife of the third son of George V - an announcement and some images from the day of the funeral showing family attending.

These three funerals are the last three royal funerals and things have moved on.

When Princess Alexandra married she had the full works at Westminster Abbey. She was the only daughter of the fourth son of the King. By the time the next princess from a younger son married the marriage was pushed to St Georges with many objections to any carriage ride through Windsor and the next princess to marry will probably see no more than maybe the arrival of the senior royals at the chapel.

I would expect an announcement of the deaths of the Queen's cousins to appear in the press and in the news but possibly not the headline story. Maybe there will be some announcement of the where and when of the funeral but that isn't a given - there wasn't for the Earl of Harewood who was as much the Queen's first cousin via descent from George V as the HRHs. Maybe there will be a report on the evening news but I would be surprised if there was any 'live coverage'.

For the younger children of The Queen I would expect an announcement possibly 'breaking news' in the media. I would also expect some media coverage of the family arriving for the funeral but no TV coverage of the service - in the same way there wasn't for Princess Margaret. I would also expect the funerals to be either at St George's or even a church closer to them e.g. the chapel at Royal Lodge for Andrew and somewhere in Gloucestershire for Anne.

I vaguely remember the late Duke of Gloucester's death - and there was no coverage of his funeral. Moving on nearly 50 years younger siblings of the monarch will get even less coverage.

We also have reports that The Duke of Edinburgh has made it clear 'no state funeral'. If that is the case then all we will get is media coverage of grieving family arriving at St George's.

The Queen will get the full works, like her mother ... coverage of transporting body to London, if she dies out of the capital, coverage of the transporting of the body to Westminster Hall, the lying in state, any vigil by children and/or grandchildren, the funeral and the hearse leaving the Abbey but the final internment will be totally private.

Charles and William - probably more coverage but I doubt the funerals would be televised. They maybe, especially Charles' given how long he has been heir to the throne. This is assuming they die while still heirs apparent rather than after becoming King.

Camilla and Catherine - the same as the younger siblings - announcement and maybe some media coverage of the grieving family arriving for the funeral but nothing more.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I'm not sure. Camilla and Catherine when they're Queen perhaps but god forbid anything happening to them beforehand I don't think we'd get an interruption. As for the DOE, I don't think we'd get one, considering his supposed feelings towards a state funeral, I don't think he'd want the fuss.

I don't think The Queen Mother got a "We interrupt this broadcast", but I might be wrong.

We not only got the 'we interrupt this broadcast' but it was the major story in the news for the next week with coverage of every step from moving her from Windsor to London and then from St James' to Westminster Hall. There was coverage of the vigil of her grandsons and regular crosses to the long line of people wanting to pay their respects. It was massive coverage from death to funeral - about 10 days.

 

[Lumutqueen]

We not only got the 'we interrupt this broadcast'

Did we? Because I remember the Peter Sissons tie debacle, and couldn’t find anything to suggest we got an interruption other than it being the main item on the regular news.

 

[Iluvbertie]

We certainly got 'interrupt this broadcast' in Australia and I was watching Sky News and they did the same thing.

 

[travelguy]

Though possibly when Andrew, Edward and Anne pass it will be after Charles as he is older then them so it would be the Kings (William) uncle and Aunt so is that still big enough to warrant death announcements. I think possibly but not a huge amount

 

[Lumutqueen]

Though possibly when Andrew, Edward and Anne pass it will be after Charles as he is older then them so it would be the Kings (William) uncle and Aunt so is that still big enough to warrant death announcements. I think possibly but not a huge amount

I would expect all royal deaths to be announced in the news, either during or as the first news item. Andrew, Anne and Edward will more than likely get a bigger feature in the actual news I think,
regardless of when they pass.

 

[travelguy]

I would expect all royal deaths to be announced in the news, either during or as the first news item. Andrew, Anne and Edward will more than likely get a bigger feature in the actual news I think,
regardless of when they pass.

Though this is quite a interesting discussion I think but how far the list does it stop being announced in the news, the same with weddings and birth announcements. How far down the line does it stop being on TV, we saw that Eugenie's wedding was on TV but would someone who is 35 in the line of succession be shown

 

[Denville]

Though this is quite a interesting discussion I think but how far the list does it stop being announced in the news, the same with weddings and birth announcements. How far down the line does it stop being on TV, we saw that Eugenie's wedding was on TV but would someone who is 35 in the line of succession be shown

Not likely...

 

[Somebody]

I don't think it is necessarily about 'how far in the line of succession' someone is; royal status is more than just 'position in line of succesion'. Princess Alexandra of Kent will surely get more coverage than Samuel Chatto. The first is a 'senior royal' (although the lowest in line of succession of the HRH's) while the second is a private person - even though he is a grandson of princess Margaret.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Though this is quite a interesting discussion I think but how far the list does it stop being announced in the news, the same with weddings and birth announcements. How far down the line does it stop being on TV, we saw that Eugenie's wedding was on TV but would someone who is 35 in the line of succession be shown

We have already been told that Beatrice's wedding won't be televised. If that holds up we can start to say only the children of the monarch, or grandchildren in the direct line. Princess Alexandra was 12th in the line of succession when she married and she had the full works - big wedding at WA, carriage ride and balcony appearance at BP but by the time her cousin, Richard married a decade later there was nothing like that. Richard married at the local church at Barnwell, near where they lived. Richard, at that time was 10th in the line of succession and within six weeks was 9th following the death of his older brother. Beatrice is currently 9th in the line of succession and is not going to get the sort of wedding that Alexandra, or even Eugenie had.

Even now only HRHs have had any real coverage e.g. Zara and Peter Philips had some crosses as the royals entered and left - the same as we saw with Gabriella Windsor. It isn't position in the line of succession that matters but whether they have HRH. Beatrice will be the last HRH to marry for probably close on a quarter of a century - until George is late 20s-early 30s along with Charlotte and Louis and it seems virtually no coverage of her wedding - no carriage ride, no television coverage, no waving to crowds from either a balcony or even the steps of St George's for her.

The sort of coverage we can expect, maximum, for anyone other than the direct line going forward. now, is some media crosses as the royals arrive and/or leave - like we get when the go to church at Easter or Christmas. I would imagine that by the time Louise and James marry we mightn't even get that much if Charles is King.

The deaths of HRHs will be announced - whether in the media or via the Court Circular or both we will have to wait and see. Whether there is then any coverage of their funerals we will have to wait and see. There was no media coverage of the Earl of Harewood ... but he wasn't HRH being the son of a Princess rather than the child of a Prince. There may be a small note for royals like Prince Michael and larger ones for those who have carried our full-time duties such as the Duke of Gloucester or Duke of Kent. All those deaths will be announced in some way but I don't think there will be any interruption of TV broadcasts and even 'breaking news' on the news channels.

Going back to the mid-2000s the CC even recorded the announcement of the engagement of one of the Gloucesters but by the time the next Gloucester child was engaged that wasn't included in the CC. So even the royals aren't acknowledging some of the extended family anymore.

The interest simply isn't there for the media to bother with anyone other than the mainline royals anymore.

 

[Blog Real]

I think for the Queen's children there will be interruption of TV broadcasts and even 'breaking news' on news channels.

 

[Durham]

The interest simply isn't there for the media to bother with anyone other than the mainline royals anymore.

That's undoubtedly true. Society has moved on. In a way that's no bad thing it just is what it is. I'm sure the couples themselves are probably happier with more privacy.

In reality it's a return to earlier custom. Most royal weddings were entirely private in the C19th. They also had far less guests in much smaller venues than the big C20th weddings in London (+ York Minster for the Duke of Kent). I think the C20th may be seen in retrospect as the high water mark for royal weddings.

I would like the Cambridge children to be married at St Paul's (George) & Westminster Abbey for the other two. I wouldn't be surprised however if it turns out to be the abbey for George & St George's Windsor for the other two.

 

[Nice Nofret]

Maybe, as the media is allways going to be worse, with writing and fotos of people in private situations, intruding into their most private lives etc. the minor royals and extended family might very well prefer to be just privat citicens without any media intrusion.

 

[Claire]

That's undoubtedly true. Society has moved on. In a way that's no bad thing it just is what it is. I'm sure the couples themselves are probably happier with more privacy.

In reality it's a return to earlier custom. Most royal weddings were entirely private in the C19th. They also had far less guests in much smaller venues than the big C20th weddings in London (+ York Minster for the Duke of Kent). I think the C20th may be seen in retrospect as the high water mark for royal weddings.

I would like the Cambridge children to be married at St Paul's (George) & Westminster Abbey for the other two. I wouldn't be surprised however if it turns out to be the abbey for George & St George's Windsor for the other two.

I am afraid that it is more likely George will have St. George's. Very possible not a church or wedding for the future relationship/ partnership of younger royals from now on. It is a new world - and precedents are been created daily.

 

[Claire]

I think for the Queen's children there will be interruption of TV broadcasts and even 'breaking news' on news channels.

The BBC leaked a document that details the custom to be followed involve deaths and news in general for royals. I will try to find the link. As it stands at the moment, only the Queen, Prince Charles and Duke of Edinburgh will have a break in regular schedules and full mourning across their channels. Lesser royals - the Cambridge , Sussex (this was when they were working royals) and the Princess Royal will have breaking news on the news and on the 24hr news channel. Everyone below - Yorks , Wessexs, Kent, Gloucester ect will be included in the regular news.
This might have been changed now - as this was issues in 2019.
William might be included in the top line now. Really cant image what they will do with Andrew and M& H now. So this would have been rewritten.

 

[Lumutqueen]

General Questions & Random Facts about the British Royal Family

The BBC leaked a document that details the custom to be followed involve deaths and news in general for royals.

That would definitely be interesting to see, as far as plans go for these things I’m only aware of London Bridge.

 

[SLV]

I'd like to see that documentary as well.

 

[wbenson]

Did we? Because I remember the Peter Sissons tie debacle, and couldn’t find anything to suggest we got an interruption other than it being the main item on the regular news.

Yes, here's a very low-quality video of the initial BBC announcement, including the tail end of the show that was interrupted:

 

[carlota]

The BBC leaked a document that details the custom to be followed involve deaths and news in general for royals. I will try to find the link. As it stands at the moment, only the Queen, Prince Charles and Duke of Edinburgh will have a break in regular schedules and full mourning across their channels. Lesser royals - the Cambridge , Sussex (this was when they were working royals) and the Princess Royal will have breaking news on the news and on the 24hr news channel. Everyone below - Yorks , Wessexs, Kent, Gloucester ect will be included in the regular news.

This might have been changed now - as this was issues in 2019.

William might be included in the top line now. Really cant image what they will do with Andrew and M& H now. So this would have been rewritten.

I’d imagine William is indeed in the breaking news category. Possibly also Kate?

As for Andrew and H&M my guess is that it would be reported as per the York’s.