Royal mourning, national mourning, the United Kingdom will freeze for a few weeks after the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday at the age of 96. Although the royal family, but also the staff and representatives of the royal house, have entered a period of “royal mourning” (royal mourning), the country will also observe a period of mourning that will last “until the end of the day of the funeral” of the deceased. A date that will be announced soon by Buckingham Palace.
Parallel to the ceremonies organized to pay tribute to the Queen since her death or the lowering of flags to half-staff, the terms of this “national mourning” observed since Thursday afternoon by the United Kingdom have been specified in a document published by the Government British. .
· What is “National Mourning”?
The “National Mourning”, national mourning, is “a period of reflection after the death of the sovereign or another member of the royal family”, according to the document released by the government. While the guidance aims to provide “some practical advice” for Britons, businesses and institutions, no rules are imposed during this period.
“Bereavement is very personal and we have arranged for citizens, families, communities or organizations to commemorate Her Majesty’s passing in their own way, there is no expectation from the public and organizations regarding any specific behavior to observe during this period.
· What rules for companies and public services?
During this period of mourning, nothing changes for companies or public services. However, the British government states that, depending on the location or activity of shops or businesses, time arrangements can be considered. Specifically the day of the queen’s funeral that should take place around September 19.
Institutions also remain open. Times may also vary during the national mourning period. The government announces that it will issue more advice to companies for the day of Elizabeth II’s state funeral.
Are public events going to be cancelled?
During this period, public festive or sporting events may be held. The government leaves organizers the option to cancel or postpone, especially on the day of the funeral. Public authorities also remind that the organizers have the possibility to enforce a minute of silence or play the national anthem at the beginning of the event.
However, many sporting events have already been cancelled. The Premier League, the English football championship, has postponed the matches for this weekend, as have all the matches in the lower professional divisions and the women’s championship.
“In honor of his extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a mark of respect, this weekend’s Premier League matchday will be postponed, including Monday night’s match,” organizers announced on Friday.
The Tour of Britain, which was due to end on Sunday with a final stage on the Isle of Wight in southern England, was stopped at the end of stage five.
The British equestrian authorities have suspended the competitions after the death of the British monarch, who showed an intense passion for the sport throughout his life. Likewise, the Scottish Rugby Federation has decided to suspend all domestic competitions scheduled for this weekend, including the women’s team’s World Cup warm-up match against Spain scheduled for Sunday.
Prior to this, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Friday’s match between England and South Africa would not take place.
· Mourning shown on social networks?
No rules have been enacted to mark their mourning on social media. “Organizations can recognize the period of mourning by making changes to the home page of their website, for example, with the use of black borders or black banners,” the government reminds.
Places are also enabled to deposit flowers in homage to the Queen. “There may be a place, such as a town hall or a place of worship, where members of the public can lay flowers or tributes in memory of Her Majesty,” the official document says. A memorial was created in Green Park in London, in front of royal houses such as Windsor, Balmoral, in Hillsborough Castle in Belfast in Northern Ireland, but also in front of Cardiff City Hall in Wales, for example.
Source: BFM TV
