Thursday, March 26, 2015

King Richard III's reinterment carries pomp and grandeur of state funeral. Certainly a step up from a nameless hole under a parking lot.




Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who is Richard III’s third cousin 16 times removed, reads a poem at his reburial at Leicester Cathedral.




The cathedral had been transformed into a grove of white roses, and foliage including sweet scented broom, the “planta genista” emblem of the Plantagenets. Every seat was filled with well-dressed guests in, variously, military uniforms, black or navy suits, academic gowns,, chains of office, white rose brooches and flamboyant hats. 
Two yeoman warders in medieval tunics, who had come from London with the Constable of the Tower of London, Lord Dannatt, stood with their backs to the south door of the cathedral, as if the Tudors or Lancastrians might try to break in at any moment.

The Duke of Gloucester, the Queen’s cousin, and the present holder of Richard’s title before he became king, carried an extraordinary book to lay near the foot of the coffin. On loan from Lambeth Palace for the day, it was Richard’s own prayer book, found in his tent after the battle of Bosworth Field where he was killed.

I gotta hand it to the English. They do pomp and ceremony better than anyone else.

4 comments:

  1. I doubt there was enough of him left to need a box that size.

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  2. In 2004, my Dad was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

    It was an impressive service- the Marines in that detail take their job seriously.
    I handled it pretty well until the M/Sgt got on one knee to present me with the flag. Then I lost it...

    If you have not seen it, I can recommend "Arlington, Field of Honor," a Nat. Geographic special,
    also available on YT (and maybe Netflix.)

    RIP, Dad.


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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip, and thanks to your Dad for his service to our country.

      Delete