Looking ahead

Will events leading to the Queen's funeral run at the top of all domestic bulletins until she is interred ?

Those who were around BBC News at the time of Diana's death remember 'an instruction' to that effect. Yesterday, BBC World Service opted for a lead about a possible turning point in the Ukrainian war. 

There are plenty of contenders for 'other news' to make it to the first story; and, now we know the full diary of events, what-happened-today-ahead-of the-funeral packages are not really 'news', unless something unexpected happens.

And, whilst the pageantry and palaver of the next seven days may be rooted in history, let's keep a healthy regard for how much of it was invented in the 20th century.  We don't expect, as for Elizabeth 1, a torchlit barge procession from Richmond to Whitehall, nor a coffin topped with an wooden effigy, nor her favourite horse following behind.  We might get a bit of Thomas Morley's music, thought to have been used in Elizabeth I's funeral service. 

And somewhere, please, can we separate the fact that Her Majesty turned out to be a thoughtful and dedicated public servant, from the low odds of choosing someone else as good as her at the job by chromosomes alone ?