Rituals of State

Rituals such as the State Opening of Parliament and royal weddings and funerals have survived the decline of ritual in other areas of life relatively unscathed. We take pride in their military precision and the way they showcase the UK to the world. But, as the writer Madeleine Bunting asks in this Essay, do certain rituals also have a sinister side? In particular, do the annual Remembrance Day commemorations serve as much to assuage guilt and promote forgetting as to honour the dead? This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance. The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC.