Even in grief there is order. Carefully packaged, the jam bread leans next to flowers on a tree not far from Buckingham Palace. “For later Ma’am” (For later, Your Majesty) someone wrote on the clear plastic bag. The Queen loved her jam sandwiches. And many Brits love their Queen. Beyond death. Impressions from a country that cries and laughs.
Wendy Wooster keeps wiping tears from her face. “All my life I only knew THE queen, this strong woman. She shaped the image of women all over the world: a working mother,” says the teacher. “It’s nice to have a king. But I came today to pay my respects to the queen.”
A few yards away, Linda and Derek are sitting on the bright green grass under a huge black umbrella. However it survived the summer so unscathed. As a child, Linda was cheated out of a photo with the Queen, she says with a laugh: “I was with my father at the Queen’s coronation in 1953. I was sitting on his shoulders. The moment she passed us, a man pulled in front of us his hat. And it covers the queen behind me. I still have the photo in the album today.”
Respect is a word we hear a lot from people today. Respect for the Queen’s life line. “I’m even a fan of the monarchy,” Linda continues. “Charles was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and now he’s our boss no matter what. That’s the way it works. It’s your turn next in line. Imagine if Andrew were the heir to the throne. Luckily he’s not …”
There are tens of thousands of people crowding around Buckingham Palace even at the weekend. But it’s pretty British orderly. No pushing, no pushing. There is also no heaviness in the air. Which is perhaps also due to the fact that the nation has been able to prepare for the death of the queen for a long time – unlike Lady Diana 25 years ago. And the Brits are happy that they were able to celebrate properly with Queen Elizabeth II just two months ago. Right here at Buckingham Palace. The 70th Jubilee. The 96-year-old queen stood beaming on the balcony of the palace. It was the last big wave. Even if nobody wanted to say that.
Kyle got up early on Saturday. He sat on the train with his mother for a little over an hour to get to London. Charles is now his new king. “He will do well and continue his mother’s work,” the student is convinced.
A few hundred yards down Buckingham Palace Road they were going fast. 1952-2022 is printed on mugs and hoodies. £20.95 for the mug and £41 for the hoodie. There is only one hanging, size XL. The death of the Queen is also a thriving business in the Majestic Gifts business. Only one customer puts the cup away, shaking her head: “I’m not going to pay for that. It’s also funny that something like this already exists. They probably already had the photo on the cup and just quickly printed the years on it.”
The Queen’s last journey ends on September 19th. After a service, she will be buried alongside her husband, Prince Philip. Maybe she’ll pick up one last jam sandwich. “For later, Ma’am” – “For later, Your Majesty.”
