Pride and sorrow WHEN the minute’s silence to commence the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral begins at 3pm tomorrow, it will be a time for the nation to reflect on a long life well-lived. In his opening remarks at the ceremony, the Dean of Windsor will highlight some of the characteristics that defined Prince Philip. Some […]
WHEN the minute’s silence to commence the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral begins at 3pm tomorrow, it will be a time for the nation to reflect on a long life well-lived.
In his opening remarks at the ceremony, the Dean of Windsor will highlight some of the characteristics that defined Prince Philip.
Some of these are indelibly intertwined with our long-standing image of the man and his role in public life: loyalty to the Queen, service to the nation and the Commonwealth.
Other qualities — his courage, fortitude and faith — have only grown in our appreciation over the past week as tales of his wartime service were recounted.
Still others were often either misunderstood during the Duke’s lifetime or hidden behind a gruff exterior: namely his kindness, humour and humanity.
Yet it is these traits that have shone through time and time again these past eight days in the many memories of his private life by those who knew him best.
Doubtless these are also the aspects the Queen will now be missing the most.
And while tomorrow Britain mourns Philip, its tears will be just as much for Her Majesty, deprived of her “strength and stay” after almost 74 years of marriage.
As the Archbishop of Canterbury says, she will be “anguished” on the inside, however stoic a front she puts on.
Her family must put aside their own troubles to rally round her today, and in the days, weeks and months to follow.
If Prince Philip is watching down on the funeral he planned so meticulously, we hope they will make him proud.
SACRE bleu! Could France really be on the road to following the UK out of the EU?
Our old bête noire Michel Barnier, never shy of a sneer at Brits during Brexit negotiations, certainly fears so.
And for once we agree with him when he says the EU could sleepwalk into “Frexit” if it doesn’t learn to listen to disgruntled voters, many of whom are in especially mutinous mood over the Continent’s vaccine shambles.
It still seems unthinkable that one of the twin pillars of the EU dream could crumble.
But at one stage Brexit seemed unthinkable to many too.
Just ask David Cameron how that went.
UNUSUALLY for a London market trader, when Gary Phillips talks about his trouble and strife, he doesn’t mean his wife.
He instead means his row with the occupants of flats near his market stall, who got on the dog and bone to the council to complain that his bellowing sales pitches disturb their peace.
It’s a tricky issue but The Currant Bun has to side with Gary’s right to flog his fruit ’n’ veg with a cheery yell.
We’re all in favour of freedom of peach.
