They could have just sent flowers

In true September 11-style, companies were quick to report how they had responded to the recent death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Radio group GWR released a press statement saying that it had taken the radical step of suspending normal programming in order to accommodate the announcement. Classic FM broadcast a rather clinical “pre-planned obituary programme” for 36 hours.

Marks & Spencer was considerate enough to announce it was closing all stores from 10:30am until 1pm on the day of the funeral. The company also delayed its fourth-quarter trading statement until April 10, the day after the funeral. It’s what she would have wanted.