Sunday 22 March 2015

Richard III - Post 5 of 10

My personal view of the Cortege

The afternoon began at Leicester's Jewry Wall with entertainment from Leicester's Morris Men.

The Leicester Morris Men posing near Jubilee Square
Next came the long wait for the cortege. At St Nicholas Church the coffin was transferred from the hearse to a horse drawn carriage. If we stood on tiptoes we could just see this happening. As we waited the crowds swelled until we were almost enveloped by them.
The spire of Leicester Cathedral is visible top right.
The horse drawn carriage was accompanied not only by mounted police, police motorbikes, policemen on foot and several helicopters, but also by two impressive knights on horseback, the sun reflecting off their armour.


And then the coffin was alongside me and it all happened in a fleeting moment so I didn't quite manage to get a perfect shot but I'll have to make do with this:


It was fascinating standing with so many people (visitors from New York on my right and from Norfolk on my left) and watch this historic event but now I'm cold and hungry and so I shall go and get my supper. Tomorrow it's the pop-up market stall to sell my Children's Book of Richard III and Radio Leicester. Exciting, isn't it!