Australian reporter picks random man from queue to talk about Queen who turned out to be BLACK ROD
>
Australian reporter picks random man from queue to talk about Queen – only to learn he was BLACK ROD who had spent years preparing for the monarch’s death
- The reporter wanted a comment from ‘Joe Public’ who was hilariously Black Rod
- Lieutenant General David Leakey, 70, was Black Rod for seven years until 2018
- ABC news correspondent Barbara Miller found him in line at Embankment
- The previous Black Rod taught the reporter about the role in the Australian Parliament
- The Queen’s Funeral: All the latest news and coverage about the royal family
<!–
<!–
<!–<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
The television reporter only wanted a few words from a random “Joe Public” in line to view the Queen’s coffin.
So she was shocked to find that the humble man who patiently pushed his way forward was actually Elizabeth II’s former MP, Black Rod – who had helped organize the state he was slowly making headway in.
The coincidence happened when Australian ABC news correspondent Barbara Miller pushed her microphone at a casually dressed gray-haired man on the bank across the Thames from Parliament.
It turned out to be Lieutenant General David Leakey, 70, who wore Black Rod’s buckled tights and shoes for seven years until 2018.
Mrs. Miller said to him, as the camera rolled, “May I ask where you’re from?”
Lieutenant General Leakey replied, gesturing to Westminster, “Well, I worked there, but then…”
Miller: ‘What was your job?’
Leakey: ‘I was Black Rod.’
The television reporter was shocked to find that the humble man patiently pushing his way forward was actually Elizabeth II’s former official in parliament, Black Rod.
‘Joe Public’ revealed to be Lieutenant General David Leakey, 70, who wore Black Rod’s buckled tights and shoes for seven years until 2018
Miller: Oh, wow… we’re talking to Australia, so explain that to Australia…’
Leakey: ‘Black rod? Well, you have a Black Rod in Australia, in the Australian Parliament… didn’t you know that?
“So Black Rod is the Queen’s representative in Parliament – and one of Black Rod’s roles is to organize the whole event which takes place in the rigged at Westminster Hall.”
Miller: Oh wow, so you would have done that if you were still at work?’
Leakey: ‘I did that for seven years, and if the Queen died while I was doing that, I’d be organizing and presiding over there.
“But I stopped doing that three years ago and Sarah Clarke took over from me, and now I’m just a Joe Public and I’ve stood in line and waited to see the results of some of the plans I’ve been working on for seven years.” have worked. year.’
Lieutenant-General Leakey served as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod – after nearly 40 years as an officer in the Royal Tank Regiment had to bang on the door of the House of Commons at state openings with his meter-long ebony staff.
He was replaced by the first female Black Rod in the 650-year history of the position, former Wimbledon director of tennis championships Sarah Clarke.