'Nana' tells us all we need to know - my reflection on the TV coverage of the Queen's death

My three-year-old son summed it up way back in 1996. We were glued to the Midlands TV news waiting to see the news report of the Queen’s visit to my Hereford constituency.

“Nana”, he said, as The Queen shook my hand. In that single word my toddler had summed up the thoughts of the entire Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II was a very special person and she may have been our Head of State, but she was much more than that, she was grandmother to the nation.

The late Queen’s life and death were led in front of the television cameras. I first saw her coronation live way back in 1953. There aren’t very many people left who can say that. Less than ten-per-cent of households had a TV set: our house was crowded with friends and neighbours whilst my father hung out of the window waving the aerial because the technology of the day was unreliable.?

Last week, more than 69 years later, I stood and – I must admit – shed a tear after??Huw Edwards, reported the Buckingham Palace announcement of her death and the national anthem was played. For one last time, we were singing in our hearts “God save our gracious Queen”. It was the end of an era, played out in full on our television sets.

Of course, we have always have known that Her Majesty would die one day. I worked in a BBC radio station and we even held a rehearsal in readiness for a royal death; at that point, the Queen Mother. However, when the Queen’s death was announced most of us felt a sense of shock. It seemed that she would go on forever. But we know that was not possible.

The first indication came via social media. The bloggers and tweeters had noticed that there were hurried notes, and then a statement as Parliament was being televised. Soon afterwards the TV news channels started bringing updates from Balmoral, Windsor and Buckingham Palace.?

Unexpectedly, for such a breaking news story, there seemed to be very few moments when the newsrooms were struggling to bring us updates. There was just so much to say. Then there came a moment, sometime about 4.30, when the atmosphere changed. It suddenly felt as if the newsrooms knew something that the rest of us didn’t. Once again, turning to social media, there were reports of long faces and black ties being donned at Westminster.

The official announcement came at 6.30. The newsreader on ITN seemed a little flustered, almost hesitant, as if she couldn’t quite believe the words on her teleprompter. Over on BBC TV Huw Edwards was word perfect as he made the announcement and brought the nation to tears. A few minutes later we were shown the scene at Buckingham Palace as two footmen fixed a notice to the railings confirming her death. My thoughts went back to my time on BBC local radio; everyone hoped that they would not be on duty when there was a death in the royal family.

Then we started to live the new reality. We learnt that the “The King and Queen Consort” were at Balmoral. Then the Prime Minister gave a subdued tribute during which she referred to “King Charles III”. It was the first time I had ever heard anyone say “God save the King”, except in old newsreels and films.

All the main terrestrial television channels cancelled programmes and focussed on bringing us the tributes from around the world. The BBC radio stations, both national and local, were tuned into a single programme across the network. On the smaller channels, the reaction varied. QVC cancelled all its shopping portals, BBC4 and BBC3 were suspended. Dave, UKTV, Yesterday, carried a flash on the screen referring viewers to the main news channels. It was surprising that ITVbe, ITV2, and ITV4 carried on regardless. In these circumstances broadcasters had to make a very careful and sensitive judgement, about which programmes to cancel and for how long.

Obviously, the obituary films had been long planned. It was touching that they had to be updated at the last minute to include photographs of her swearing in her new Prime Minister just a few days before.

As the tributes came into the newsrooms from around the world it was obvious that these were not stereotype, ready-made copy and paste tributes, but heartfelt expressions of love and affection from the world’s leaders, both past and present.

In the following days, we were told the details of her laying in state, the funeral and the length of the formal period of state mourning. In due course, we will know the date of the coronation, a word that dominated my life when I was the same age as my son who exclaimed “Nana”.

The Queen’s coronation was the first of a British sovereign to be broadcast to the world. Her funeral will be the first of a British monarch to receive global coverage. Her life was led in front of the cameras with all the opportunities and liabilities that entailed.?

Possibly the most moving archive footage played and replayed during that momentous evening was her pledge in 1947 that her whole life whether long or short would be dedicated to serving her people. She fulfilled that promise with interest and even all those years ago, my toddler immediately recognised her place in our family.