Like so many Americans, I was glued to the television all week mesmerized by pageantry of Queen’s ten-day funeral ceremony. Millions watched her family and formal guards solemnly marching through the streets behind a flag-draped coffin on the Queen Victoria’s gun carriage. There is no equivalent in America.

Equally impressive is the outpouring of love for the Queen and the monarchy as expressed by a nearly five-mile queue currently snaking through London. People are waiting their turn to pay their respects to the Queen, who is lying in state in Buckingham Palace. Four billion people world-wide are expected to watch her funeral on Monday.

Why are so many people in London waiting to pay tribute to the dead Queen? Why are billions tuning into the funeral on Monday? The world-wide grieving for Queen Elizabeth is the most important political event of the year, and surpasses her appeal as an “every-granny” or the family’s silly dramas. Yes, people appreciate her selfless service. I wrote about my own appreciation of her leadership style last week, just hours before the official death notice. But the main message behind all these tributes is that traditions matter, history matters. That queue is a silent rebuke against modern forces that highlight the problems of the past without respect for the good.

Read more at Apt. 11D, the newsletter

A few years ago, I developed an unusual interest in the British Royal Family. From time to time, I do a brain-dump and write blog posts about them. For the whole series of blog posts about the Royal Family, tag: royal mess. To start from the beginning, start here.