Inventing tradition: Pigeon flypast for Prince Philip’s funeral
The funeral of Prince Philip on Saturday will see the invention of a new tradition.
There will be a pigeon flypast.
The Murdoch Times (15.4) reports that pigeons will be released from Royal lofts at Sandringham and Windsor on the day. The Royal Pigeon Racing Association plans to have 10 pigeons- one for each decade of Philip’s life- fly in 65 cities.
The Royal association with pigeons goes back to 1886:
According to the report Prince Philip showed particular interest in pigeons. There is a perspective that racing pigeons is a cruel sport although this may relate more to global pigeon racing than domestic where flying times and distances are relatively short. It was a working-class activity- think Jack Duckworth in Coronation St.
However when the Royal pigeon lofts at Sandringham were upgraded in 2015 the cost was reported to be £40K. As often with the Royal family, the pigeons seems to inhabit a rather different space than those to be found in the lofts of working men’s clubs.
A rendition of The King of Rome perhaps. The June Tabor version.