Television and radio channels have changed their broadcast schedule, the image of Queen Elizabeth can be found in several places, football matches have been canceled and operations have been postponed.
The day of the funeral, Monday 19 September, is a public holiday in Britain and most Brits have to settle for a day out of the ordinary. Queen Elizabeth’s funeral is postponing most things.
While millions of Brits queue for health care, many who will undergo surgery on Monday will need to get a new appointment. In addition, food distribution centers in several locations across the country are expected to close their doors.
It provoked strong reactions.
– It’s sad that the queen is gone, but letting someone’s health deteriorate doesn’t help anyone. Normal life should be able to continue to some degree, says photographer Dan Lewsey CNN.
He says his mother, diagnosed with cancer, has been postponed for a health check at a hospital in Shropshire, west England, following the queen’s funeral.
Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, activist and author, also reacts to the state of emergency on Monday.
– The closure of major services such as food banks and scheduled medical visits shows no respect for the Queen. It’s disrespectful to the British people, he tells the channel.
GREAT BRITAIN: A royal guard appeared to pass out during the Queen’s vigil at London’s Westminster Hall on Wednesday (September 14). Video: AP / BBC sea View
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Dan O’Brien, who is eight months pregnant, says NBC News who has waited three weeks to get an appointment at a specialized maternity ward because she has type 1 diabetes and her pregnancy is considered to be high risk.
However, this week she was told that her appointment – which was Monday, September 19 – was canceled due to the Queen’s funeral.
– When I was called and they told me that all appointments for that day were canceled, I started crying, she says NBC Newsadding:
– I only have six to seven weeks before I will have my baby, so I feel like I’m running out of time to get the help I need in time, O’Brien says.
A spokesperson for the NHS told the channel that they will work to ensure that “urgent and emergency services”, including urgent appointments to the dentist and doctor, will be available on the day of the funeral.
The country has closed
The funeral ceremony itself will take place in Westminster Abbey, followed by burial in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
After the ceremony, the coffin will be lowered into the chapel’s royal crypt. There are the remains of 25 other royals, including the queen’s husband, Prince Philip.
Most of the country will be closed, including the stock exchange, and there will be a procession through the streets of London and Windsor. At 12 there are two minutes of national silence.
