Prince Philip has died

Normally tributes are filmed in advance (of necessity) but those of Charles and Anne were not, apparently.

Why not in good taste? When HM tried to protect her grandsons when their mother died, she was criticised. The public wanted to see them all grieving, all wanted a piece if them. Now, that is what is distasteful.

They are allowed no privacy.

Oh, they were, then, Anniebach

Not surprising.

Exactly Calendargirl. Can you imagine donning black in advance of a close family member’s death and giving a TV interview? I assume the Queen must have approved it. I genuinely find it quite shocking. Or maybe they agreed to it to avoid being pestered when the event actually happened. Nevertheless...

It's not remotely shocking. It's normal.

Anniebach

8 days isn’t quick , for the queen mother it was 10 days

I can't find any info on the funeral date, where did you find out it would be next Saturday?

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge

This will show you all the plans that are set for when the Queen dies

Hopefully not for many, many years

Gannygangan

It's not remotely shocking. It's normal.

It is always done for anyone in the public eye.

I've just looked at the "tribute" on the Archwell website! Well they've avoided OTT Hollywood gush but really what a weird thing to say. Totally impersonal, you'd think they'd never even met him.

I think President Bidens was more heartfelt than Harrys, and certainly a lot warmer.

The tribute from the Obamas was lovely.

Yes, the usual suspects e.g Gyles Brandreth, but surely not the close family? Or at least have the decency to leave it a couple of days.

Kate54

Yes, the usual suspects e.g Gyles Brandreth, but surely not the close family? Or at least have the decency to leave it a couple of days.

What does this refer to sorry ?

The obsequies of someone very senior or very important like the royal family are planned years in advance. They have to be - look at the shambles that followed Princess Diana's death.

I would imagine that there are already a full set of funeral plans and sets of news items and tributes prepared for use when Prince Charles dies and which will be revised regularly, plus ouline plans for every other member of the RF.

It is like all the obituaries that immediately get published after the death of someone famous. I bet all the tv channels and all the newspapers have full obituaries written and programmes planned for when any of our Prime Ministers, present and past, die, ditto for US Presidents, or anyone.

Newspapers used to have obituary editors, they probably still do, whose task was to keep huge libraries of pre-prepared obituaries for anyone who had done anything noble or remarkable, or were at the top of their profession, or done anything that notorious or that had caught the public eye. These obituaries are revised regulalry and included tributes from friends and family

Plenty of peoplpre plan funerals, why not plan the public events and tributes to someone famous.

They used the basis of the plans for the Queen Mother when Diana died prematurely.
The Queen's funeral is rehearsed regularly and prerecorded tributes are updated regularly. This is part of Royal life and I prefer it to a BBC reporter standing outside a palace speculating.

Newspapers used to have obituary editors, they probably still do, whose task was to keep huge libraries of pre-prepared obituaries for anyone who had done anything noble or remarkable, or were at the top of their profession, or done anything that notorious or that had caught the public eye. These obituaries are revised regulalry and included tributes from friends and family

I have even, from time to time, read obituaries by people who,themselves, were already dead. It's not uncommon.

The Queen and Prince Phillip came to open my place of work and Prince Phillip made a bee line over to me and my manager where we were standing away from everyone behind a desk and he said "I didnt realise there was a bar here"and started laughing,we were so surprised we could'nt say anything. I thought he was lovely. RIP Prince Phillip.

Lucca I was referring to the Andrew Marr BBC tribute in which Prince Charles and his siblings gave interviews, Dressed in black and speaking in the past tense..... it must have been ore-recorded. Very different from newspaper obituaries which are sensibly kept up to date as the years go by. A much more respectful approach.

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Agree one channel enough. It’s still on Radio 4 and LBC. plus about 12 pages in every paper. Catching up with podcasts .

Deedaa totally agree about the “tribute” on the Archewell website. There was a better one on the Waitrose website. You would expect something more personal from a grandson. Maybe Harry has send something privately and more befitting as a grandson.

It sounds as if the Duke’s last few weeks were spent on palliative care enabling him to “enjoy” his last times with the Queen to whom he devoted so much as well as to this country.
R.I.P.

BBC has a reporter standing outside a palace but SKY news has a reporter in California, wonder why !

I’ve enjoyed the tributes and found them very moving. I couldn’t care less about complaints, probably by mostly republicans. I found the story of his life fascinating and feel very sorry for the Queen.

The man himself wouldn’t have wanted all this fuss but he deserves it and I hope there’s more to come. RIP Prince Phillip.

Agree tickingbird

Very sad, thinking of the Queen and family at this time x

I feel desperately sorry for the Queen. No matter how much a death is expected, it is still an awful shock when it happens.
Prince Phillip was very much part of the fabric of our national life. It will be the lesser without him.

It’s sad but not unexpected - after all he was a very elderly man. I feel genuinely sorry for the Queen and the Royal Family at the loss of a much loved family member. But the BBC have completely over-egged the whole thing by taking over the schedules of both TV and radio going over and over and over the same stuff for 24 hours solid. Enough already.