Douglas Henshall: what did Shetland actor say about Queen’s coffin on Twitter? ‘Horrible’ comment explained

The actor, known as DI Jimmy Perez on the BBC’s Shetland, attracted criticism online after tweeting about the Queen’s coffin
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Douglas Henshall (Shetland, Outlander) has sparked backlash online after tweeting that the Queen’s coffin, which people had queued upwards of 24 hours to visit during the lying in state period, was actually empty.

The Glaswegian actor, who recently stepped down as the role of DI Jimmy Perez in Shetland, later added that he “didn’t know” for sure if the Queen’s body was in the coffin or not, but that he “can’t imagine she would be”.

This is everything you need to know.

What did Douglas Henshall say?

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On Friday (16 September), Henshall took to Twitter in a comment that is still available on his profile to state that the Queen’s coffin was empty.

He wrote: “Do you think the Queue would be so long if people knew that the Queen isn’t in the coffin ? Or do they know and it’s just symbolic ?”

The tweet has garnered backlash online, with users branding Henshall’s statement as “horrible” and “offensive”.

Replying to Henshall’s tweet, one person wrote: “Would you even consider suggesting such an offensive opinion as that if the person in the coffin belonged to a member of your family and your friends and family came to pay their respects prior to their funeral? You’re a repulsive individual!”

Douglas Henshall attends the British Academy Scotland awards at Radisson Blu Hotel on November 16, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Martin Fraser/Getty Images)Douglas Henshall attends the British Academy Scotland awards at Radisson Blu Hotel on November 16, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Martin Fraser/Getty Images)
Douglas Henshall attends the British Academy Scotland awards at Radisson Blu Hotel on November 16, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Martin Fraser/Getty Images)
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Another tweeted: “What a horrible comment. People come to give their respects. Time to be quiet.”

“Do you think you could just wind your neck in for a while and respect people’s grief and the grief of a family and acknowledge that no one is queuing to see a body or a coffin. Honestly such a brilliant actor and yet completely devoid of basic respect,” replied another.

Why did Douglas Henshall say the coffin was empty?

Following her death, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has been transported to a number of locations prior to her state funeral today, Monday 19 September.

From Balmoral to Edinburgh, London to Buckingham Palace and, of course, Westminster Hall where it laid in state from 5pm on Wednesday (14 September) until earlier this morning.

The coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is carried into the Westminster Abbey during the state funeral and burial of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah McKay- WPA Pool/Getty Images)The coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is carried into the Westminster Abbey during the state funeral and burial of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah McKay- WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is carried into the Westminster Abbey during the state funeral and burial of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah McKay- WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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Because of this, a debate has emerged online in which some people claim that the Queen’s body isn’t actually in the coffin, and the coffin has been empty.

People have shared their theories online, with one person tweeting: “Am I the only one who thinks the Queen’s coffin is empty? She has already been buried. Hauling a body around for 2 weeks is not realistic. Just sayin’.”

Another wrote: “The coffin is empty. Who would want to subject their deceased mum through all that back and forth. It’s just formality for the public. The Queen is safe and sound in a mortuary somewhere until the day of her actual funeral. Sorry guys to disappoint.”

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top is carried by the Bearer Party into Westminster Abbey during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top is carried by the Bearer Party into Westminster Abbey during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top is carried by the Bearer Party into Westminster Abbey during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

“I still think the coffin is empty. Too high a security risk for someone to get to it to overturn it,” wrote another.

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Actress and screenwriter Emma Kennedy replied to Henshall’s tweet, where she asked: “She’s not in the coffin?”

Henshall replied to Kennedy, writing: “I don’t know obviously, but I can’t imagine she would be purely on the grounds of security if nothing else.”

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