Queen Mum Dead! Not.

September 8, 2001 9:45 AM

Queen Mum Dead! Not. Rumours have been sweeping the UK via email and Internet message boards that the Queen Mum has pegged it. A case of mass wishful thinking? Most people are more concerned about whether they'll get a day off or whether certain sporting fixtures will be cancelled rather than the wellbeing of the gin-soaked old harridan. Personally I'd rather not have to sit through days of BBC piety and endless documentaries about her amazing sense of fun.
posted by Summer (19 comments total)

And i there was me thinking that it was just a myth in my family that my auntie dreamed up.
posted by Kino at 10:05 AM on September 8, 2001

whilst doing my usual flick between news channels yesterday for nuggets of anything remotely interesting i had to explain in detail to at least two poeple that if she had croaked it there'd at least be a line of text at the bottom of the screen indicating she had. They still weren't fully convinced though.
posted by Kino at 10:08 AM on September 8, 2001

Working for a major broadsheet newspaper here in the UK, I'm one of the unlucky one's to get wind of this rumor each and every time it rears its ugly head. Everyone holds there breath waiting for confirmation. It usually happens around Christmas. Lets not hope that we fall to a case of the boy who cried wolf.....!!! :-)
posted by monkeyJuice at 10:13 AM on September 8, 2001

But you will, monkeyjuice, we all will. They'll have to trot out the old gal and prod her with a stick just to satisfy the Daily Mail that she's really off and kicked the big one this time.

Is she near death now? Does anyone know for sure? Or is this a Bob Hope type of situation where everyone's all, oh yeah, it's all fine, don't worry, stronger than ever?

You know, I gotta admit got a soft spot in my black little heart for the old broad, for no reason whatsoever.
posted by chicobangs at 10:20 AM on September 8, 2001

The headline of the ITN story is 'No fears for health of Queen Mother'.

I actually find it quite scary that there are no fears for the health of a 101 year old woman.

Of course if medical science means that they are all going to live forever it buggers up the idea of Hereditary Monarchy.
posted by Grangousier at 10:34 AM on September 8, 2001

i love to talk back to the crown, rebel and prattle and all that but "wishful thinking?" Yeah, she is not my Queen mother but believe it or not HM is a very distant relative(like saying Uther was an uncle) none the less me grandmother (96 yrs) maiden name is Bowes and that close enough for me. Please, what has the monarchy done to destroy more then uphold. or is upholding destroying. sooo...send the docu's over our way, we love a fun loving, slightly eccentric monarch whos not afraid of flower hats, big grins and a well crafted wave. She defied Hitler and rallied the people(helped in character at least) during Englands most desperate hour. Even HMQ as a young princess, serving the crown in war, changing that tire ( i hear she could out race alot of men in the ole auto) this is standard to brits, not to us. I hope she lives another 5 years. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.
posted by clavdivs at 10:34 AM on September 8, 2001

and if anyone says b$gg*r the queen, im calling great auntie
posted by clavdivs at 10:36 AM on September 8, 2001

Man, I wish everyone in the US was sitting around preparing for the death of their national figurehead. We could all wear black cowboy hats at the funeral...

Of course, that would mean Cheney would be prez, but that wouldn't last too long.

*sigh*
posted by Coda at 10:51 AM on September 8, 2001

clavdivs: She defied Hitler

Was I the only one who read that as "deified Hitler"? Oh yeah, spirit of the blitz, all that.

Don't mean to sound heartless, but I'm hoping she goes for the "mad suicide bomber" exit and takes out a handful of the parasitic spawn that'll be hovering around the bedside.

Just planting seeds.
posted by ceiriog at 12:05 PM on September 8, 2001

If she did die - we wouldn't know in Britain because the BBC isn't allowed to broadcast the news until there has been an official announcement by the palace (unless we watch ITN, Sky whatever).
posted by feelinglistless at 12:34 PM on September 8, 2001

Was I the only one who read that as "deified Hitler"?

Technically, it was her brother-in-law who did that. But there are mutterings about the Yorks being just as enthusiastic appeasers as the Windsors.
posted by holgate at 2:18 PM on September 8, 2001

FWIW, found this on another site the other day.
posted by vbfg at 3:20 PM on September 8, 2001

Well that's really weird, because just yesterday (i.e. Friday 8th) a friend of mine who has spent the best part of two days doing her obituary for his media company (names withheld to protect the innocent) assured me that the good lady had indeed expired and that the announcement was 'imminent'.

His 'source' was apparently one of their royal correspondents or similar.

What a strange affair!
posted by Duug at 5:08 PM on September 8, 2001

I think I'll avoid all media for a few days if she does die. The whole Diana thing was enough for me. Even the RADIO kept playing 'You Have Been Loved' by George Michael over and over, which used to be one of my favorite songs.

It was almost like a national test of the brainwashing power of TV with Diana. If you walked around looking happy, people would literally ask why you weren't sad. Of course, if you actually watched TV for more than 15 minutes, you'd be crying your eyes out.

I like the Royal Family and want them to remain, but they really dragged it out way too far last time round.
posted by wackybrit at 8:14 PM on September 8, 2001

Wackybrit: There are duty editors at the BBC who are dreading her dying on their shift because they've been through the practise run a million times, and they know they're going to be mentioned as a can carrier when the shit hits the fan about the massive over reaction later.

The generally accepted predictions have her dying, Auntie Beeb going into full arslikhan mode (as feelinglistless says, only on the nod of the palace) with the Beeb then plunging into a week of tribute to the life of the Queen Mum.

The Diana hysteria was wierd enough, though I spent most of the day on a bus from Bradford to London for a Rugby game we didn't know would go ahead or not (it did, Bradford lost their only game of the season that day - truly a tragic day), but the official reaction to this one at least will dwarf it. Deffo get a state funeral this time.
posted by vbfg at 1:00 AM on September 9, 2001

This guy has her at No 4 this year, down from No 1 in 2000.
posted by flowerdale at 3:16 AM on September 9, 2001

I wonder what the reaction of the British public will be. I don't know anyone who likes her despite the tabloids portraying her as a horse-race-loving, gin-swilling, charming old granny. There's been too many documentaries about her being a hard-faced old cow. Wonder if there'll be a bitch fight between her and Wallis Simpson in the afterlife.
posted by Summer at 3:36 AM on September 9, 2001

yea, it was weak what i said but hey she She is a cool ole gal. I think mrs. simpson was an upstart bitch whos only talent was probably oral. love for the crown, what a crock.
posted by clavdivs at 8:24 AM on September 9, 2001

She's been "Weekend and Bernie's"-ing for years.
posted by oddity at 5:58 AM on September 10, 2001