https://www.newsweek.com-A choirboy (front left) at the queen’s funeral caught the attention of TV viewers watching the event. BBC News
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral drew the attention of people all around the world on Monday, but even the most eagle-eyed viewers might have missed some highlights throughout the day.
The head of the royal family died September 8 at Balmoral Castle, her Scottish estate. She was 96 and the country’s longest-reigning sovereign, with 70 years on the throne.
On Monday, her coffin was placed on a 123-year-old gun carriage and followed by her family as it left Westminster Hall for Westminster Abbey at 10:44 a.m. local time, following the observance of 10 days of mourning. After the 11 a.m. funeral service at the abbey, the coffin was taken to Wellington Arch and then to Windsor Castle.
While the ceremony was planned down to the minute, there were instances that took the public by surprise, delighting some and mystifying others.
Buses for World Leaders
For the state funeral, leaders of nations around the world were in attendance to pay their respects to the monarch. But unlike a foreign visit, they were not transported to their destination in vehicles in motorcades.
Instead, multiple leaders were seen arriving on buses. President Joe Biden was granted an exception to use his own motorcade, which drew some criticism on social media.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she did not understand the “fuss” some made over the leaders having to take buses, according to The Sun. She added that she regularly has her ministers carpool.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that “a lot of great conversations happen on the bus.”
Blunder by Bishop
An unknown bishop got the attention of social media users after making a blunder in front of the queen’s coffin at Westminster Abbey.
The bishop dropped a piece of paper during the service, and many social media users offered their sympathies for the odd timing of the blunder.
Others said they found the incident funny and wondered whether it would be featured in the Netflix series The Crown if a future episode covers the queen’s funeral.
One Twitter user wrote: “Everyone just saw this guy drop a piece of paper right near the Queen’s coffin, he must be mortified.”
Another joked: “When Netflix make the funeral episode will they replicate the paper drop? #Papergate.”
Another social media user said: “Most interesting part of the Queen’s funeral so far is watching a bishop drop a piece of paper on to the floor, directly in frame of the camera.
Elated Choirboy
The antics of an enthusiastic choir performer also caught the eye of the ceremony viewers.
Music was performed by the Choir of Westminster Abbey, with 30 choirboys between 8 and 13 years old and 12 adult singers, all led by musical director James O’Donnell. The singers performed three hymns, two anthems and two new works written for the funeral service by Scottish composer Sir James MacMillan.
One of these choirboys was dubbed an “MVP” for his dedication and enthusiasm while performing.
“Shout out to the little choir Ginger that was vibing. My boy knows this is being watched by a billion and he’s all in,” commented one person on Twitter.
A second added: “The little ginger kid in the choir looks like he’s singing from the depths of his soul.”
A third wrote: “The wee ginger lad front left row of the choir is stealing the show. Bravo, wee man.” A fourth tweeted: “The ginger choir boy is the MVP.”
Police Officers Collapse
Pictures have emerged of a police officer who needed to be carried off on a stretcher and seen by medical staff after collapsing on duty.
The officer was taken on a stretcher by Royal Navy personnel and some of his fellow police colleagues.
The reason for his collapse is not known yet, but London’s Metropolitan Police have said he has since recovered.
Also, four police officers became unwell during the day’s ceremonies, according to an Independent report.
Two of the officers fell ill on the Mall, which leads to Buckingham Palace; two on the nearby Horse Guards Parade ground; and one next to the Victoria Memorial. All have recovered.
Also, three military personnel had to be assisted by colleagues after appearing to be in difficulty by the Wellington Arch shortly before 2 p.m. local time.
Spider Crawls on Queen’s Coffin
In a seemingly last-minute addition to the funeral guests, a spider was spotted on the queen’s coffin and wreath during the service.
A video of the moment cuts to the wreath and shows the spider scuttling over a card on top.
The video has so far been viewed more than 150,000 times on Twitter. Many dubbed it the most famous spider in the world because of the number of people who tuned in to watch the funeral.
The flowers that were placed on top of the coffin included plants cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House (King Charles’ official residence while he was the Prince of Wales) and Highgrove House, the king and queen’s private residence in Gloucestershire, according to a Telegraph story.
It is suspected the spider came from the flowers, which would explain how it managed to make an unscheduled appearance at the funeral.