The Queen
(Picture: PA Wire)The Queen’s death has sparked an outpouring of national grief, with a number of high-profile events cancelled as a mark of respect.
Ten Premier League, six Scottish Premiership fixtures, EFL games and six Women’s Super League fixtures were among those to be called off.
In addition, theatres in London and across the country will fall silent on Monday as performances are cancelled as a mark of respect. Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera were among the biggest West End productions to announce cancellations.
Classical concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and Cambridge’s Corn Exchange have also been halted.
However, other organisations or individuals have raised eyebrows - or faced criticism - for marking their respect to the monarch in a more bizarre fashion.
Below we look at some of the more unusual gestures made in tribute to the Queen.
Supermarket adjusts checkout beep volume
Morrisons has lowered the volume of its checkout beeps out of respect for the Queen.
The supermarket has also turned off the radio in its stores. It said the beeps were deemed unnecessarily loud now that the radio is not playing in the background.
Morrisons confirmed that till beeps have been turned down, but can still be heard.
Most retail chains will close on Monday as the funeral takes place, among them John Lewis, Waitrose, Homebase, Aldi, Apple and Primark. Harrods will also shut, with others expected to close from 10am to 2pm.
Council shuts bike rack
Because of the royal period of mourning, you can’t lock your bike to a cycle rack in Norwich. pic.twitter.com/QuFYmUizLj
— Jeremy Hutchinson (@Themightyhutch) September 11, 2022
Cyclists were left bemused as a council closed bicycle racks in Norwich city centre as part of the period of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth II.
A sign on one rack, which was put in place by Norwich city council, warned cyclists that their bicycles could be removed if they were left there between last Friday to Wednesday of next week.
It read: “This cycle rack will be closed from Friday Sept 9 until Wednesday Sept 21. If you leave your cycle here between these times it may be removed. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
A picture posted on Twitter of the sign prompted cyclists to brand the move “nonsensical”.
The council said the decision was made to stop cyclists using the rack outside Norwich City Hall as it was the dedicated spot for mourners to leave flowers.
Wayne Lineker holds bizarre nightclub tribute
Sorry, I need to immortalise Wayne Lineker's tribute to the Queen because I will never not want to see it. pic.twitter.com/r8KOeSNQtJ
— Childish Gabibbo (@ichlugebullets) September 9, 2022
Gary Lineker’s brother Wayne held a bizarre tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at his nightclub in Ibiza involving bikini-clad women wearing bearskins and mock military outfits as crowds sang God Save the Queen.
The line-up of women stomped on to stage in tall black hats then saluted as the National Anthem was played at his O Beach Ibiza club.
Wayne posted a video of the moment but later deleted it.
It was then shared by a Twitter follower who wrote: “Sorry, I need to immortalise Wayne Lineker’s tribute to the Queen because I will never not want to see it.”
Another added: “It’s Wayne Lineker - he invented ‘distasteful’.”
Met Office cuts back announcements
We are saddened by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts are with her family and all those affected by this news.
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 9, 2022
As a mark of respect during this time of national mourning we will only be posting daily forecasts and warnings.
In a bizarre moment on Friday, the Met Office announced it “will only be posting daily forecasts and warnings” during the time of national mourning, causing some to fear there would be no weather forecasts for the coming week.
The BBC’s former North America editor Jon Sopel replied: “I am totally bewildered ... why is it disrespectful to give us tomorrow’s weather?”
The Met Office later clarified it had only meant it was pausing “other nonoperational content”.
