Given the prevailing economic climate, some think that this year's opening ceremony should consist simply of an open-topped bus, with Colin Firth, J.

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Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley and Broughton, said "privatised industry" should pay for the ceremony.

BBC: Manchester

Lady Thatcher had said whoever was prime minister at the time of her funeral should take part in the ceremony.

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He also said there should never again be an investiture ceremony like the grand one for Prince Charles at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

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Netanyahu should take two lessons from Obama's behavior at the ceremony.

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Francis' decision to include two females -- an Italian and an Eastern European -- in the ceremony disturbed some traditionalists, who believe the 12 people should reflect the 12 male apostles.

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The remains of 130, 000 unidentified soldiers are kept in the ossuary at Douaumont, near Verdun, but disagreement on how the remains should be dealt with meant Douaumont was not officially inaugurated until three years ago, in a ceremony attended by the late President Mitterrand and the former German chancellor, Helmut Kohl.

ECONOMIST: The world��s way of death