The UK Isn't Keeping Calm Or Carrying On. Just Look At Twitter.

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Since Queen Elizabeth II’s death on September 8, the UK has entered into a 10-day period of national mourning.

As the initial clumsy brand responses showed, no-one’s really sure how to act. The country hasn’t seen the full pomp and ceremony of a monarch’s state funeral in 70 years, and it probably shows.

On social media generally, and Twitter specifically, it’s been a messy mix of instant memes, caustic reaction and reporting from the frontline that contrasts to the mournful mainstream media.

Here are some of the most eye-catching tweets from the last week.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Hounslow pic.twitter.com/tnHmUGakHE
— Nev Wilson (@NevWilson) September 12, 2022

When you're half-way through your Gorbachev mural and news breaks...
— David MacLean (@GeordieStory) September 12, 2022

Dressed for the occasion - just not this one

I picked a really bad day to get the train to London dressed entirely in black. A middle-aged couple just smiled softly at me as I sat down. They do not understand that I am going to see Machine Head
— Chris Thursten (@CThursten) September 10, 2022

‘It’s what she would have wanted’

My flight status changes to *cancelled* on the Heathrow departure board. I pause, salute the screen, a dignified tear falls to the floor, and quietly I mutter, "thank you, ma'am, for everything."
— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) September 14, 2022

I am actually losing my mind this is the stuff of nightmares pic.twitter.com/O1cq0WQCbV
— aarjan (@aarjanistan) September 13, 2022

it's only a matter of time before the state funeral is postponed as a mark of respect to the Queen
— Henry Mance (@henrymance) September 13, 2022

In Liz we trust?

Lots to think about this week, mainly how Liz Truss curtsies pic.twitter.com/ghRcLFrXMG
— SHANE REACTION (@imshanereaction) September 9, 2022

Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand, creatures crawl in search of blood, to terrorise y'alls neighbourhood... #Thriller pic.twitter.com/LvQopkmi33
— Marky P (@MarkyP1970) September 10, 2022

Here’s Hogg… pic.twitter.com/A8BExG8QJK
— Matt Simpson (@_mattsimpsonn) September 11, 2022

What am I? A fucking joke to you people? pic.twitter.com/el2ZibcA7B
— Parody Liz Truss (@LizTruss_MP) September 10, 2022

Game of thrones

how do u unlock lilibet https://t.co/tNmiLVPFMX
— worm4worm (@branewyrms) September 9, 2022

‘Mourn Hub’

Hearing someone describing BBC News coverage as Mourn Hub has made my day.
— chrisbates (@christhemarxist) September 14, 2022

We have descended in to the deep mourn state, no paper allowed in public, only heavy weeping, or Porkmarkets will have you kneecapped.

I’ll be going into more detail on the protests and Tory madness in coming days but for now, there’s this…

I’ll avoid tunnels for a few days. pic.twitter.com/e6s51Eagyr
— Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) September 13, 2022

BREAKING: You will be pleased to know ITV will be airing the Queen's funeral on ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, ITV Be and ITV Hub because they have decided you're not allowed to watch anything else, even if you really want to. Compulsory mourning is the most respectful kind.
— Laura Kuenssberg Translator (@BBCLauraKT) September 13, 2022

Unlikely tributes

I've just seen a traditional english phone box wearing a full length mourning veil. How's your morning going? 🇬🇧
— Gazelle Twin (@gazelletwin) September 13, 2022

For those who asked… pic.twitter.com/lsZc2AYlEJ
— Gazelle Twin (@gazelletwin) September 13, 2022

Am fascinated by how quickly the mythical association between Paddington Bear and the Queen has been made concrete when she only interacted with the character once.
— Moya Lothian-McLean (@mlothianmclean) September 13, 2022

The whole Paddington thing is what happens when you once mention to a relative that you like ladybirds so get ladybird themed presents for the rest of time - but for a whole country
— Simon Alvey (@salvey1) September 12, 2022

Tesco, Bangor, 13/09/22 pic.twitter.com/g5jYrx0V49
— Seiriol Dawes-Hughes (@seiriol) September 13, 2022

Shout out to the wellwisher who has stuffed a broccoli into the Buckingham Palace gates.#queen #floraltributes pic.twitter.com/aoY2C1Lfq3
— Lucy Bannerman (@TimesLucy) September 9, 2022

Ray Parlour's tribute to the queen would bring a tear to a glass eye pic.twitter.com/6ogdo0lVZR
— 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙖 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙨 - aka Larry 🇺🇦 (@Cantona_Collars) September 10, 2022

I know we’re mourning right now, but if you have fine photos of the Queen like this one, please mail them to me in an envelope. I’m collecting them for personal projects. I love collecting her photos🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/cZbzQhMnJy
— AA (@Adxpillar) September 10, 2022

Center Parcs throws out holidaymakers (but later u-turns)

Following the announcement of the date of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, we have made the decision to close all our UK villages on Monday 19 September at 10am as a mark of respect and to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be part of this historic moment. 1/2
— Center Parcs UK (@CenterParcsUK) September 13, 2022

Good luck removing guests from the parks. You've trained them in archery, shooting, swimming, canoeing and swinging through the trees like apes. You've basically got 5 village-loads of ninjas to clear out.
— SpersJR (@Frantically2) September 13, 2022

Center parcs customers Monday night in the forest pic.twitter.com/ZEnrwj4LBv
— bobby (@thebobbyhealy) September 13, 2022

Things you can’t do during periods of national mourning:

- Use cycle racks
- Bury loved ones
- Play/watch football
- Stay at Centre Parcs

Things you can do:

Make people redundant https://t.co/OgYTpENnIE
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) September 13, 2022

A riposte to Americans

If I were a pundit in a country whose transfer of power looked like this I would simply not express opinions about the 'absurdity' of British system of government. pic.twitter.com/bYf8P2NFpa
— Martin F. Robbins (@mjrobbins) September 10, 2022

Charles in charge

Gonna be impossible to say the words King Charles without adding the word Spaniel on the end I’m afraid
— Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) September 8, 2022

pic.twitter.com/piuD2NQ6LH
— HappyToast ★ (@IamHappyToast) September 11, 2022

massive new meme early in his reign pic.twitter.com/OcNfP0LInH
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) September 13, 2022

King’s horse troop struggles with horse

pic.twitter.com/3CuAKjJvs5
— No Context Brits (@NoContextBrits) September 10, 2022

Men film themselves mourning

As self-owns go this is up there. The arch-critic of the so-called virtue signaller epitomised (apparently) by Meghan Markle (who he should just leave alone), Dan offers something so obviously confected & self-referencing that he destroys himself in a puff of delicious hypocrisy. https://t.co/TpppIiLF3X
— Rob Burley (@RobBurl) September 11, 2022

“You there, boy, film me while I mourn” pic.twitter.com/9TTmHln2io
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) September 9, 2022

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