6:52 am, September 14, 2022
Queen to leave Buckingham Palace for final time as lying-in-state begins
The King and his sons will walk behind the Queen’s coffin as she leaves Buckingham Palace today for the final time ahead of her lying-in-state.
The royal family will accompany their matriarch on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall, where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queueing for hours.
A service lasting around 20 minutes will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster.
Bespoke state hearse for Queen who was consulted on the design
The Queen was transported to Buckingham Palace in a bespoke new Jaguar XJ-based state hearse, designed in consultation with the late monarch, to allow the public a clear view of her coffin.
The hearse features wide windows along the side and back, a see-through glass roof and three bright spotlights inside along one roof edge, illuminating the raised coffin.
It is finished in Royal Claret, the colour used for the official royal and state vehicles kept in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace and used by members of the royal family on official duties. The hearse was designed by the Royal Household and Jaguar Land Rover – which also made the Duke of Edinburgh’s Land Rover hearse – and features the Queen’s personal royal cypher.
Route revealed for those joining queue to pay final respects to Queen
The queue for those wishing to pay their respects to the Queen could stretch all the way to Southwark Park in south-east London, according to the government plan.
The guidance, published last night, will see the queue follow the path of the River Thames and potentially all the way to Southwark Park, with the line managed by more than 1,000 volunteers, stewards and police officers.
Tens of thousands are expected to join the queue from today, in what promises to be a major logistical challenge for authorities in London as members of the public gather in the capital to say a final goodbye to the late monarch.
Clarence House staff hit with redundancies in wake of King’s accession
Dozens of Clarence House staff were given notice of the threat of redundancy while they worked round the clock in the wake of the King’s accession, The Guardian has revealed.
Private secretaries, the finance office, communications team and other loyal household employees were among those who received the letter while the thanksgiving service for the Queen was taking place in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday.
The Public and Commercial Services Union condemned the decision to announce redundancies during the period of mourning as ‘nothing short of heartless’.
Center Parcs reverses decision to kick out guests for day of Queen’s funeral
Center Parcs has reversed a decision to close its accommodation for the Queen’s funeral on Monday after a backlash from guests.
Customers had been told they would be turfed out at 10am on Monday, September 19 for 24 hours, forcing them to find alternative accommodation.
After receiving complaints, Center Parcs has offered to allow guests on ‘longer duration breaks’ to remain on site on Monday. The villages are still set to close at 10am on Monday, meaning guests will not be able to use any facilities, and Center Parcs has offered a 17 per cent refund of the lodge cost to affected visitors.
Trussell Trust defends food banks after Queen’s funeral prompts closures
A number of food banks in the UK have faced backlash following announcements that they would close on Monday because of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Trussell Trust, a not-for-profit organisation that supports a nationwide network of food banks, has been forced to defend the decisions made independently by a number of its branches.
The Stoke-on-Trent food bank announced on Tuesday that it would be closing three distribution centres as the nation marks the day of the Queen’s funeral. Branches in East Elmbridge, East Grinstead, Grantham, Ringwood and South Sefton were among the others to follow suit.
The Trussell Trust’s Wimbledon branch has meanwhile made a U-turn, after tweeting on Tuesday morning it would be closed to allow their staff and workers to show their respects. It has since announced ‘due to the overwhelming support we have received we now have volunteers to run our Monday session as usual’.
Peugeot expands electric car line-up with new e-308 and e-308 SW
Peugeot has continued its electric car series expansion with the introduction of the e-308 and e-308 SW.
Both cars use a 156bhp electric motor paired with a 54kWh battery which helps to deliver up to 248 miles between charges. Thanks to an 11kW on-board charger, the e-308 can accept a 100kW rapid charge, resulting in a 20 to 80 per cent top-up taking less than 25 minutes.
It’ll be offered in Allure and GT specifications, with matrix LED headlights included on the latter. ‘Three-claw’ rear lights give a distinctive look to the back of the car, too. Peugeot has also developed a new 18-inch wheel specifically for the e-308 and e-308 SW, which has been designed to offer the best possible aerodynamic efficiency. Both cars will be available in the UK from the second half of 2023.
UK unemployment rate slumps to 48-year low but more Britons quit jobs market
Britain’s unemployment rate has hit its lowest level since 1974 but the number of workers dropping out of the jobs market also jumped higher, according to official figures.
The Office for National Statistics said the unemployment rate fell to 3.6 per cent in the three months to July – the lowest rate since May to July in 1974. Most economists had been expecting the unemployment rate to hold steady at 3.8 per cent.
However, the figures showed that the so-called economic inactivity rate rose to 21.7 per cent – its highest level for more than five years.
Tuesday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Dealer group Heritage Automotive books £3.32m pre-tax profit
- New FCA principle has potential to ‘genuinely change’ how dealers handle their customers, says industry expert
- Former Lotus engineering boss appointed at West Midlands Gigafactory
- Bristol Street Motors appoints new general manager at Sunderland dealerships
- New wave of BMW models to feature parts made from recycled fishing nets
- Midlands mechanic remembers the time he rescued the Queen after her Rolls-Royce broke down
Firms will have to reapply for Royal Warrants after Queen’s death
Coca-Cola, Cadbury and Heinz are among around 800 firms that will have to reapply for a Royal Warrant after the prestigious label became void following the death of the Queen.
Retailers Fortnum & Mason and Waitrose – plus brands including Twinings tea and Bollinger champagne – are also among those that proudly advertise the late monarch’s coveted coat of arms on their stores and packaging.
According to the Royal Warrant Holders Association, warrants became void when the Queen died. Its website states: ‘The Royal Household will review Warrant grants upon a change of the reigning Sovereign.’ However, it adds that ‘the company or individual may continue to use the Royal Arms in connection with the business for up to two years, provided there is no significant change within the company concerned’.
Joules shares dive after Next investment talks collapse
Next will not take a stake in troubled clothing retailer Joules after talks between the two ended, the companies have announced.
Shares in Joules plummeted by over a third on Tuesday afternoon after confirmation that the potential deal had collapsed.
Fashion and homeware brand Joules confirmed investment talks last month after reports that it could sell a 25 per cent stake to its larger rival. However, it told shareholders yesterday that discussions over the move, which reports claimed could have raised around £15m, have ended.
Weather outlook
A day of heavy rain showers for most, with rain eventually clearing later on leaving dry and sunny conditions. BBC Weather reports the north will be cooler but will also see showers, and it’ll be turning breezy.
A breezy and dry night for most tonight. A few showers in the far north of Scotland. A cooler night for all.
