Support NeoGAF

[lastplayed]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11850043

Royal staff called to Buckingham Palace for emergency meeting

Speculation amongst Buckingham Palace staff is reportedly rampant after the Queen's most senior aides called her entire household to an emergency meeting later today.

Servants from royal residences across the country have been ordered to London and will be addressed this evening (NZ time) by the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior officer of the Royal Household, as well as Her Majesty's right-hand man, Private Secretary Sir Christopher Geidt, the Daily Mail says.

Even her longest-serving staff were left in the dark about why the meeting was being called but multiple sources said it was "highly unusual" and had sparked fevered talk about an imminent announcement concerning the monarch or her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, according to the Daily Mail report.

Although it is coming from the Daily Mail.

Also: https://twitter.com/PhilipPorado/status/859955090320486400 (a tweet saying Prince Philip had died, now deleted)

 

[Technosteve]

Can she dissolve parliament before she dies?

 

[JohnTinker]

Prince Philip earlier today, looking to be in good spirits: https://twitter.com/BBCPeterHunt/status/859774598828752896

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

They're downsizing a la Downton Abbey.

 

[Qvoth]

would be surprised if this is anything other than the queen's passing

 

[JordanN]

She's reclaiming Britain and cancelling Brexit.

 

[Autodidact]

Damn, it'd be ironic if they lost some actual strong and stable leadership.

 

[Deleted member 80556]

Is London Bridge down?

 

[BoogieWoogie]

She's reclaiming Britain and cancelling Brexit.

And taking back America, deposing Trump.

 

[Earthbound64]

Hope Her Majesty is alright.

 

[KingBroly]

She's reclaiming Britain and cancelling Brexit.

She was for Brexit, though.

And apparently Flags at Buckingham Palace have been lowered to half staff

 

[Dalek]

And taking back America, deposing Trump.

Please take us back, Brits.

 

[Cow Mengde]

would be surprised if this is anything other than the queen's passing

I thought that's what this thread was about when I saw the title. That said, I don't harbor any negative or positive feelings towards the queen.

 

[lastplayed]

And apparently Flags at Buckingham Palace have been lowered to half staff

Oh shit. Which flag though?

 

[B-Dubs]

Any announcements are like four hours out, as per protocol.

And apparently Flags at Buckingham Palace have been lowered to half staff

There's some reports this isn't true.

 

[GreyWind]

She was for Brexit, though.

And apparently Flags at Buckingham Palace have been lowered to half staff

Source?

 

[catmincer]

Flags at half mast means a death right?

 

[Loxley]

French invasion imminent?

1066 Part 2 motherfuckers.

 

[diablos991]

That's not good. Hope everything's alright.

 

[Earthbound64]

Please take us back, Brits.

Seconded.

 

[Kurdel]

I just hope we will shift away from the monarch's face on our money, because the last thing I want is a King Charles loony.

 

[Escape Goat]

The Queen has the peepee tape.

 

[Koppai]

Anyone who lives near there wanna chime in? It's eating me up.

 

[Spaghetti]

Holy shit.

Don't particularly care about the Royals but fucking hell what a time to drop dead if Philip decided to pop his clogs.

 

[Takyon]

Can any british GAF tell us about the flags?
Commonwealth checking in.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Would feel weird to lose her. She's been there all my freaking life. Money, stamps, a trillion products for some reason...hope she's ok. Philip too.

I just hope we will shift away from the monarch's face on our money, because the last thing I want is a King Charles loony.

Never would the name be more appropriate though

 

[B-Dubs]

The Queen has the peepee tape.

We should be so lucky.

 

[_Nemo]

Flags at half mast means a death right?

Yes. Someone's (probably) dead.

 

[KingBroly]

Any announcements are like four hours out, as per protocol.

There's some reports this isn't true.

Source?

I'm just starting to see stuff light up on twitter. Apparently it's originated from a French source.

 

[lastplayed]

I just hope we will shift away from the monarch's face on our money, because the last thing I want is a King Charles loony.

I've heard he'll take the name George. The name Charles carries some baggage...

 

[StopMakingSense]

Can any british GAF tell us about the flags?
Commonwealth checking in.

Flags at half mast are a fairly universal sign of honoring an important death?

No idea if it's confirmed in any way though.

 

[Log4Girlz]

Don't brexit yet Elizabeth

 

[AlexFlame116]

Wonder what's going on.

 

[FireBeaver]

I don't think this is real.

 

[B-Dubs]

I'm just starting to see stuff light up on twitter.

Careful with that, lot of shit gets thrown around in situations like this. If you can't source it, it's probably not true. Just an FYI so you don't wind up worrying about something in the future when Trump starts a war.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Queen just got some divine crumpets and she had to share.

 

[always crazy bacon]

would be surprised if this is anything other than the queen's passing

That's my 1st reaction, but Prince Philip is more likely.

 

[lastplayed]

Flags at half mast means a death right?

Except the royal standard never gets lowered, even if the queen dies. That's what caused all that fuss when they refused to lower it when Diana died.

 

[Lo-Volt]

Can she dissolve parliament before she dies?

Parliament was already dissolved and that's now to do with the Fixed-term Parliament Act. It's also in the middle of the night in Britain, so I'm not sure what kind of news to expect before dawn.

 

[Media]

Need BritGaf to chime in here asap. Particularly London Gaf

Edit: at this point there were Twitter rumors flags were at half last, which were obviously wrong.

 

[smokeymicpot]

So we won't get anything offical to 8am their time?

 

[BigJonsson]

Uh oh

 

[Maintenance]

Oh snap. Buckle up, gonna be a few hours of speculation.

 

[_Nemo]

Need BritGaf to chime in here asap. Particularly London Gaf

Its like 4:30am there lol.

 

[Blablurn]

I hope everyone is ok

 

[DrkSage]

Gut feeling someone died or someone has health complications

 

[Lo-Volt]

Need BritGaf to chime in here asap. Particularly London Gaf

But no one's really awake there. That's probably why this is showing up on social and news sites in Australia and New Zealand, and on Twitter. Which is basically a game of telephone.

Also, is a royal death really the kind of thing to leak? Somehow I don't expect that of the court. Maybe a senior courtier is leaving and that requires an all-staff announcement. It's a little knee-jerk to assume someone passed, though let's see how well this post holds up in the next six hours!

 

[lastplayed]

French invasion imminent?

1066 Part 2 motherfuckers.

Alfred the Great has come back from the dead and has a score to settle with those so-called Northmen.

 

[chadskin]

The Guardian ran an interesting article recently detailing what happens when the Queen dies: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge

 

[HotHamWater]

Need BritGaf to chime in here asap. Particularly London Gaf

It's nearly 5 am but I'll just head over and have a word with the Queen over a cuppa. I'll update when I know whats up.

Update: Oh dear I've been arrested. Looks like Australia for me, chums.