It’s at the same time unprecedented and also a deep part of Britain’s cultural tradition: A line many miles long has formed in London as Britons brave the elements for hours for a chance to pay their respects at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state in Westminster Hall.
When the queen died last week, some snarky American social-media denizens asked, in essence, what good the British monarchy had ever done for anyone. This is the answer.
