On Tuesday, a video emerged of volunteers removing the plastic wrappings of thousands of bouquets of flowers left in memory of the recently deceased monarch Queen Elizabeth II, outside Buckingham Palace, in London on Tuesday.
“At home this morning, I saw it on the news that people were removing the plastics from the flowers. And I was coming to lay flowers myself. And when I saw how many needed to be removed, I thought I’d help,” said one elderly volunteer.
She wasn’t exaggerating — the video shows the area quite literally covered with bouquets of flowers. Unsurprising, given how the late Queen was much loved by her subjects, with consistently high approval ratings.
#Watch: Volunteers remove #plastic wrapping from thousands of bouquets left for #QueenElizabeth#Viral #QueenElizabethII #Queen #BanPlastic #PlasticPollution #bouquet #LondonBridge #london #World #QueenElizabethIIMemorial pic.twitter.com/SrgBgxaWlc
— Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) September 13, 2022
The volunteers are conscious of the fact that that much plastic in the area would be a serious threat to the ecosystem, and fauna in the area that may accidently ingest the plastic. They also plan to use the flowers for composting later on.
“What we’re doing is to create just flowers, so it’s easier later on to collect the flowers for compost, because eventually the flowers will go to all the parks and all the palaces for the flower beds when they’re compost,” said another volunteer.
Thousands of people have been queuing up all through the night to see the Queen’s coffin at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Later on Tuesday, it will be taken to Buckingham Palace and then to Westminster Hall, where the Queen will lie in state for four days, with her funeral being scheduled for 8 PM (local time) on Sunday, in Westminster Abbey.
“It’s quite breath-taking and they’re quite beautiful,” said one woman of the floral tributes paid by mourners to the late Queen.
“It’s what I expected to see as well anyway. But yes, it’s very nice. And I think this is a way of people showing their gratitude as well, appreciation for all the years she’s served on the throne.”
