Downing Street officials are reportedly planning how to announce the eventual passing of Larry, the No 10 chief mouser.
The 17-year-old tabby, while currently healthy, is in his twilight years.
Larry has become a fixture of Downing Street, known for his patrols of the grounds and occasional confrontations with local wildlife. His encounters with Palmerston, the Foreign Office cat, have often made headlines.
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He has also outlasted five prime ministers and famously refused Liz Truss the chance to stroke him.
But although Larry can count himself among the more popular residents of the street in recent years his demise will happen at some point and officials are now preparing.
In a similar manner to how insiders had a code for when the Queen passed away, there is set to be an official way that the cat’s death will be broken to the nation.
According to The Times, officials will say “Larry bridges” when the cat passes - a reference to ‘London Bridge is falling down’, the code for when Elizabeth II died.
17 years old. Damn. What a fine life.
Full state honours.
He should get a military parade down the mall at least
What bullshit, Larry is immortal, how dare they question his glory.
The only sovereign I respected.
RIP
Does the position of Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office transfer to the heir apparent instantaneously or does it require a meeting of the Accession Council? It’s important to get these things right.
These are the kind of things that I imagine are giving constructional experts sleepless nights at the moment.
Just hypothetically, and I don’t want to get anyone riled up, but could Starmer get a dog in as a replacement?
Technically, yes, as long as the dog’s not a papist.
So, no St. Bernards and I suspect capuchin monkeys are out.
Mods this comment is inciting violence /s
According to The Times, officials will say “Larry bridges” when the cat passes
🥺
This is the reason why I subscribe to uk_politics even though I’m neither from nor in the UK and you politics doesn’t affect me much.
Thank you for the fantastic news reporting.
Glad you like it, we are a silly nation sometimes.
Imagine the queue to see Larry lying in state.
I suggest dumping the monarchy and replacing it with a felinocracy. It’ll cost far less, will take up far less space, and is less likely to cause embarrassment by committing gaffes or hanging out with the next Epstein. We can get pawprints on legislation.
LONG LIVE THE CAT!
Long Live Larry!
Does Larry get buried with his humans like how Lizzie was with her corgies?
Yes.
Good, may they continue to serve Him, even in death 🙌🙌🙌
