We saw more of the secret sides of the Queen, we gleaned the royal family’s survival strategy, and we were deceived by slogans such as “united in grief”.
London | When someone dies, it is very common that soon after there is an outpouring of story-telling and tone-setting, during which a narrative will gel, and then harden, into a new-fashioned reality.
The 10 days since Queen Elizabeth II died have been an extraordinary example of this. The royal family, the media, politicians, and even the people have thrown themselves into a collective effort of myth-making and reality-shaping.
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Hans van Leeuwen covers British and European politics, economics and business from London. He has worked as a reporter, editor and policy adviser in Sydney, Canberra, Hanoi and London. Connect with Hans on Twitter. Email Hans at hans.vanleeuwen@afr.com
