Q: How many important issues in the news will be sidelined by vanity coverage at this time?
A: All of them. Thanks for your patience.
Q: How much will all this cost British taxpayers?
A: More than you could possibly imagine. There’s even a special train.
Q: Can you review the stages of mourning vis-a-vis attire? I don’t want to move on to a black armband when everybody else is still in muted gray tones, or whatever. And what’s half-mourning?
A: The stages of mourning for a monarch are quite easy to remember:
Q: Why are people who weren’t subjects of the monarch in mourning?
A: The glorification of unearned privilege is a deep and persistent flaw in the fabric of human society. It knows no national boundaries.
Q: Isn’t it time to abolish the monarchy?
A: Apparently not!
Q: I’ve heard that the new monarch is quite liberal. Is that true?
A: Well, if by “liberal” you mean “liberally spends funds contributed by taxpayers in exchange for an accident of birth,” then yes.
Q: Do all these apparent Royalists around me actually believe in the divine right of kings? Because that would be… weird… in the 21st century?
A: Your guess is as good as mine.
Q: Should the average citizen be concerned that meeting Liz Truss may be fatal?
A: No, most people who are between the ages of 18-65, not immunocompromised, and up-to-date on their vaccinations have nothing to fear from Liz Truss. Unless they own a British business. Or need to use the NHS. Or have children that go to a British school. Or live in Northern Ireland.
Q: What is happening in Ireland right now, anyway?
A: Not sure, but it looks exciting.
Q: When will the news return to coverage of literally any other topic?
A: After ten days or Vladimir Putin does something we can’t ignore, whichever comes first. Or if Olivia Wilde does anything new we can criticize.