Avatar2go wrote:

Thought this was funny. President Biden was one of the few leaders who didn't take the proffered bus to Westminster Abbey, and ended up being stuck in traffic with his "Beast" limousine. As a result he arrived late and had to sit in the back.

I doubt the Secret Service would allow him to take the bus, and he is also perennially late to everything. So nothing new there, but the Queen's funeral waits for no man, as is appropriate.

https://news.yahoo.com/why-president-bi ... 23734.html

Though Commonwealth leaders were always ahead seating wise, plus surviving Victoria and George Cross winners, (two Australian VC winners, 40 years apart, the winner from the Vietnam war wheeled in by Johnson Beharry, originally himself from the Caribbean who was the first non posthumous British winner since Korea, in Iraq in 2005). As well as recipients of this years new year honors list, the ones interviewed being awarded for COVID relief efforts.
It wasn’t just Presidents, Prime Ministers, Royals etc at the funeral.

The Canadian PM took the bus, commenting that is normal for other big gatherings like summits, then it was his Head of States funeral this time too.
It doesn’t really matter who POTUS is, the clumsy paranoia of the USSS is well known, projecting abroad their line of infamous failures at home perhaps?
Which to be fair to them is a way more hostile environment, you wonder if their maps have the US but with the rest of the world, stable democratic nations included, labeled ‘here be dragons’, when really the titles should be swapped?

It was commentated further up that Charles went right into the line of well wishers back in London just after the announcement of the Queen’s passing and throughout his tour of the UK nations, what would the USSS make of that with a POTUS?
Answer? He’d probably be relatively safe here, of course there would be close Personal Protection Officers, just not a convoy of paranoia.

The last time Metropolitan Police Special Branch PPO’s, who protect ministers and Royals here, saw action was in 2017 when a lone wolf terrorist started stabbing people outside Parliament, they were outside waiting for their Minister but Glock’d some sense into the terrorist.

I think King Charles greeted a corgi in the crowd too

GDB wrote:

Though Commonwealth leaders were always ahead seating wise, plus surviving Victoria and George Cross winners, (two Australian VC winners, 40 years apart, the winner from the Vietnam war wheeled in by Johnson Beharry, originally himself from the Caribbean who was the first non posthumous British winner since Korea, in Iraq in 2005). As well as recipients of this years new year honors list, the ones interviewed being awarded for COVID relief efforts.
It wasn’t just Presidents, Prime Ministers, Royals etc at the funeral.

The Canadian PM took the bus, commenting that is normal for other big gatherings like summits, then it was his Head of States funeral this time too.
It doesn’t really matter who POTUS is, the clumsy paranoia of the USSS is well known, projecting abroad their line of infamous failures at home perhaps?
Which to be fair to them is a way more hostile environment, you wonder if their maps have the US but with the rest of the world, stable democratic nations included, labeled ‘here be dragons’, when really the titles should be swapped?

It was commentated further up that Charles went right into the line of well wishers back in London just after the announcement of the Queen’s passing and throughout his tour of the UK nations, what would the USSS make of that with a POTUS?
Answer? He’d probably be relatively safe here, of course there would be close Personal Protection Officers, just not a convoy of paranoia.

The last time Metropolitan Police Special Branch PPO’s, who protect ministers and Royals here, saw action was in 2017 when a lone wolf terrorist started stabbing people outside Parliament, they were outside waiting for their Minister but Glock’d some sense into the terrorist.

Entirely appropriate that the Bidens wouldn't be in the front. Didn't mean to suggest otherwise.

In fairness to Biden, he was lampooned in the US for taking the train back & forth during most of his years in Congress. As VP and POTUS, the USSS wouldn't allow it.

Also in fairness, the Royals aren't political figures or targets, and travel quite freely all over the world. The USSS would allow the Bidens to greet crowds in the US, but probably not so much overseas, due to lack of visibility over who might be present.

Which is not to say that UK authorities can't be trusted, or are not up to the task, as I said here earlier they did quite an admirable job. But after 9/11 the perception of the world in the US is different.

The bus thing was overkill, clearly other leaders were safe, so Biden would be too. The USSS is probably in more danger from the Biden's dog Major, who had to be sequestered as a security threat.

Avatar2go wrote:

I thought the Brits did an impressive and classy job of managing a huge public event, while sincerely honoring the Queen. Kudos to all involved. Especially the police and armed forces who dealt with the crowds wonderfully, and with compassion. Proves that people can still come together without conflict.

Agreed. Throughout what kept standing out to me was Princess Anne and how unflappable she is, and then William's face--he had the look of someone who just really wanted to punch somebody and was close to the end of his tether. It was quite different from the sullen, trying his best not to cry in front of the world boy we saw at his mother's funeral. I get it, it's his grandmother's funeral, the media scrutiny, and oh yeah, not quite two weeks ago he became heir apparent to the throne...coupled with all the drama around his brother and his histrionic sister-in-law.

The most impressive public ceremony I have ever seen, fitting for one of the greatest women in history of mankind. Well never seen anyone like her again.
R.I.P. QEII

For all those uninformed, lamenting the cost: The monarchy earns much, much more (about 20 times) revenue for their country than what the taxpayer pays for them. In fact they are pretty cheap for what they do. The UK would be damn stupid to convert to a Republic.
And: has anyone ever seen a ceremony after WWII were a country was so united?

I can only say: very well done.

Avatar2go wrote:

GDB wrote:

Though Commonwealth leaders were always ahead seating wise, plus surviving Victoria and George Cross winners, (two Australian VC winners, 40 years apart, the winner from the Vietnam war wheeled in by Johnson Beharry, originally himself from the Caribbean who was the first non posthumous British winner since Korea, in Iraq in 2005). As well as recipients of this years new year honors list, the ones interviewed being awarded for COVID relief efforts.
It wasn’t just Presidents, Prime Ministers, Royals etc at the funeral.

The Canadian PM took the bus, commenting that is normal for other big gatherings like summits, then it was his Head of States funeral this time too.
It doesn’t really matter who POTUS is, the clumsy paranoia of the USSS is well known, projecting abroad their line of infamous failures at home perhaps?
Which to be fair to them is a way more hostile environment, you wonder if their maps have the US but with the rest of the world, stable democratic nations included, labeled ‘here be dragons’, when really the titles should be swapped?

It was commentated further up that Charles went right into the line of well wishers back in London just after the announcement of the Queen’s passing and throughout his tour of the UK nations, what would the USSS make of that with a POTUS?
Answer? He’d probably be relatively safe here, of course there would be close Personal Protection Officers, just not a convoy of paranoia.

The last time Metropolitan Police Special Branch PPO’s, who protect ministers and Royals here, saw action was in 2017 when a lone wolf terrorist started stabbing people outside Parliament, they were outside waiting for their Minister but Glock’d some sense into the terrorist.

Entirely appropriate that the Bidens wouldn't be in the front. Didn't mean to suggest otherwise.

In fairness to Biden, he was lampooned in the US for taking the train back & forth during most of his years in Congress. As VP and POTUS, the USSS wouldn't allow it.

Also in fairness, the Royals aren't political figures or targets, and travel quite freely all over the world. The USSS would allow the Bidens to greet crowds in the US, but probably not so much overseas, due to lack of visibility over who might be present.

Which is not to say that UK authorities can't be trusted, or are not up to the task, as I said here earlier they did quite an admirable job. But after 9/11 the perception of the world in the US is different.

The bus thing was overkill, clearly other leaders were safe, so Biden would be too. The USSS is probably in more danger from the Biden's dog Major, who had to be sequestered as a security threat.

'Amtrack Joe' wasn't it?
Sounds admirable and nowadays an important example.
The late Queen's Corgi's apparently could nip without warning.
It went off well, there would have been a collective sigh of relief with all the security providers, for general public/crowd safety as much as nefarious plots/lone nuts.

na wrote:

And: has anyone ever seen a ceremony after WWII were a country was so united?

I can only say: very well done.

This is a very good point, and to me was most impressive. I would extend my praise to the many in the UK who don't support the monarchy, for staying out of the limelight and not disrupting what was a solemn, emotional, & important ceremonial event to honor the Queen. That act too, was well done.

The acoustics in St George's Chapel are amazing!

The Queen's Committal Service

https://youtu.be/xT3SKa69ij8