I’m not a Brit, nor do I have a King or Queen as my leader.
But I just cannot see the thought process where I would ever wait for days to keep a spot so I could glimpse the box that contains the earthly remains of my Sovereign for a few seconds as the funeral cortege passed by.
I just cannot understand that mindset, nor the motivation.
I respect the Brits who do so, but I just cannot understand.
I – sort of – “get it” in that being able to say “I was there / X feet away when Y went by” may offer a Certain Amount of cachet.
That, and about $8, will also get you coffee at Starbucks.
Maybe “sharing in the experience” has more value than I understand, or perhaps those things in which I do see value in being part of are a great deal more personal than being one of millions lining a parade route, but I don’t see a significant difference between “being X feet away” and a hi-res framed color glossy of it on the dining room wall.
“Different strokes for different folks” as the old 1980s Yamaha motorcycle ads used to say.