From our special correspondent in London,
“God Save the King!” Wow, that’s funny, it’s going to take us some time to get used to this new lexicon, ”realizes Frankie. Three days after the disappearance of Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at the age of 96, Londoners are taking their marks with their new sovereign, Charles III, proclaimed king on Saturday at the Palace of Saint James.
New habits to adopt, without upsetting the old ones. And if there is a ritual to which Londoners are attached, it is to spend your Saturday evening at the pub. But in such circumstances, wouldn’t it be too shocking ? Putting all its professionalism at the service of informing its readers, 20 minutes toured pubs, from Camden Town to Soho, to check whether or not Londoners had departed from their sacrosanct ritual.
“Of course I’m going to party!” »
While earlier in the day thousands of Britons and tourists from around the world came to lay large armfuls of flowers in Green Park, where a memorial has been erected to honor the late Queen, at night fallen, another atmosphere, far more festive, takes over. On Camden Hight Street, in the heart of bustling Camden Town, the sun has been down for less than an hour, but on the counter of the Elephant’s Head Pub, the piles of empty pints are already piling up and you have to jostle to order. All in a joyous hubbub where the volume of conversations rivals the British rock spitting out from the speakers.
In the ambient crowd, Holly does not intend to sulk her pleasure. “Of course I’m going to party!” Not because the queen is dead of course, but because it’s Saturday night, and on Saturday night, we go to the pub to enjoy our evening! Life goes on ! “, assures the young woman, in any case not very fan of the royal family. “We should put an end to the monarchy, we don’t need it! »
Looking for the pint under 5 pounds
And in the pubs of the British capital, attachment to the crown seems as rare as still-full glasses. “I’ve never been a big fan of the monarchy,” Frankie explains, pint in hand. I know that the queen meant a lot to many people, she was an important figure and today she is no longer with us. But honestly, it doesn’t affect me more than that. And even if that disappearance is a very heavy event, today I did exactly the same things that I usually do, and as you can see, we’re in a pub! »
At her side, under the Belle Époque decor of the Salinsbury pub, Lauren agrees that the death of Elizabeth II “is a loss and a change in our culture, but life goes on, she summarizes. The time has come for the British people to experience what it is to have a king. In the meantime, what drives him on his pub crawl, “is managing to find a pint for less than 5 pounds here in London, that’s cool!” And also being able to walk around in the evening and find three pubs in less than five minutes is also what it takes to have a good time in London!
A few meters from the couple, Gerald, passing through the British capital, also intends to make the most of his evening. Originally from Singapore, he “lived here for 11 years, I know the city by heart”. And if he defines himself as someone “neither pro nor anti-monarchy, it is true that the queen was a symbol of unity for the British people. But in the end, he was also a human being, like everyone else, he recalls. So even though I have a lot of respect for the Queen, the Earth must not stop spinning, so I’m enjoying my night out at the pub with my friends, like I would any other weekend! Because friendship is something important that should also be celebrated. And also because I’m only staying in London for a few days! »
“Ads are in our culture! The queen herself liked to treat herself to a good gin! »
So, London night owls indifferent to national mourning? “ Not at all, assures Jelena. Going to the pub, having a drink, it’s in our culture. We Brits are very attached to our pubs! » An opinion shared by his friend Ross, « proud to be British. I have always dreamed of joining the Royal Navy, and serving the Queen is part of the oath of every member of the Crown. But that never happened, so for me, there is no better way to celebrate the memory of our queen than to share a pint of Irish Guinness with friends! »
Especially since, recalls Jelena, “the queen herself liked to treat herself to a good gin! That’s what I’m drinking in his honor. With a phlegm and a pace so British, the young woman summarizes the state of mind of her evening comrades: “Going to the pub tonight is also a way of celebrating the great life of our sovereign! So I raise my glass to our beloved queen! »