My wife and I are in our ‘eighties’. I’m 82 and she is eighty .. Umm ? ‘something or other’.

We were educated in the 1940s and 50s. and, although we didn’t realise it at the time we must, as working class kids, have received a pretty decent education, which included such subjects as ‘English Language’ .. ‘English Literature’ .. ‘World History’ .. and, of course, the usual maths, geography, science etc. etc.

I mention this because, although there are some bright young people about today, most of those we sometimes come across, read about or see on TV, astonish us with their lack of knowledge of ‘the world about us’ and the history of it’s people, including the most momentous events that changed the course of that same history and the famous and infamous people who’s legacy we still live with today.

I’ll give my little rant a rest now, and just finish with a little anecdote …

I once read a report about a World War II veteran going into a store where the young lady assistant noticed the veteran’s pin in his jacket lapel.

“What’s that badge ?” … she asked.

“Oh, it commemorates my service during the ‘Battle of Britain’ ” … replied the old boy …

… “What battle of Britain was that then ?” asked the girl !

I was never a fan of The Duke of Edinburgh, but then again, I was never a fan of any of the Windsor (Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) crew. However, it is ‘right and proper’ to show respect at times like these, but, the excessive hours the BBC (and other TV channels) have devoted to reporting the death and reviewing the life of the Queen’s husband has been quite ridiculous to say the least.

Something which I found far more annoying than the ‘wall to wall’ reporting, was the media coverage, which rightly showed the solemnity of members of the public, but also highlighted the appearance of members of the “grief-lite” brigade and, in particular, the deplorable behaviour of those parents who hand bunches of flowers to very young children, who cannot possibly understand what is going on, and then push them towards some makeshift memorial or other in the hope of them being ‘caught on camera’.

I know that for much of my long life I lived in a world where funerals and remembrance services were fairly dignified private affairs when “showing respect” meant something. Perhaps the old boy’s low-key affair will remind people of this.

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“People think there’s a rigid class system here,

but dukes have even been known to marry chorus girls.

Some have even married Americans.” … Prince Philip (2000).