Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is over and we’re back to doing what the British do on a national holiday and after 4pm on weekdays. We went for a pint (which says a large beer).
The funeral is televised at the “Princess of Wales” pub in London. Almost no one wants to talk, after all, they’ve had a few drinks, but one group we approach says the friends next door are Scottish.
Nicola (“Nikki”) is the youngest. Lives in Cambridge but hails from Glasgow. In the first three seconds of the interview, he can’t contain his emotion, recalling a “very incredible experience.”
Mother Mary comes to save her daughter. Rani says she is wonderful and there will be no one like her.
The conversation becomes transparent. But don’t the Scots want discontent and independence? The answer fills the bar, a round of “nooos” and the smile of someone who’s already been waiting for this conversation.
Nicola says that Queen Elizabeth II was very popular in Scotland and it was no coincidence that she died in her favorite castle, Balmoral, where she spent a lot of time with her dogs and driving a jeep.
Grace interrupts the conversation to ask for two pounds for her next drink. And she can’t resist joining the commentary team.
They all swear to us that Scotland will never be independent.
Nicola says that when they voted in the referendum “they said it was a one-off”. Hence there is no room for a fresh poll.
Amma promises that it will never happen in her lifetime. Nichi corrects: “Always”. Not always.
And Charles III? Nicola adores him. But old Grace disagreed. Nicola argues that she needs time to grieve.
I ask what it’s like to be a king. Mary states that she will not reign long and that she will abdicate in favor of her son William. Also, she is divorced and this is “not accepted in the UK”. So shouldn’t Camilla be Queen Consort, we ask? Mary says no. For her, it’s William and Kate’s turn, and they’re adorable — here they all agree and smile so much.
“Everybody loves William and Kate. Everybody loves them, but not now. The economy is bad all over the world, but William will fix that,” says Nicky.
He again asked me which country I was from. It’s the third time, and the interview partners laugh. I explain that Portugal hasn’t had a monarchy for over 100 years, which seems ridiculous to this Scottish girl.
Grace explains to us that this is when Princess Diana taught her children to be close to people. “I’m not saying Carlos didn’t take it further. But do you want to start a job at 74?”, he asks. We returned: “Do you like it?” “Noooo” and the sound of the bar gets a few more decibels and a few laughs. “So it’s time for younger people to take care of the monarchy,” says a very determined Grace.
As we speak, the two-minute silence from the funeral is replayed on television – during which time only three Scots animate the pub – we hear the chants of the religious ceremony, and the drinks continue to flow.
So we look at the future of England at the bottom of a pint glass.
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