Nobody wants to make predictions about sad outcomes. The public has, however, been understandably alarmed by reports that the Palace of Her Majesty is “under medical monitoring” (opens in new tab). To prepare everyone, including the Prime Minister and the international media, for what to do in the case of her passing, officials and the monarch herself established Operation London Bridge.
It explains the strategies for what will happen in the days that follow the Queen’s passing. Including whether or not schools will be closed in the event that the Queen passes away, where she will be buried, how the royal line of succession will change after Prince Charles succeeds as king, and the stringent guidelines for how the public would be informed of the news.
What will occur after the Queen passes away?
It has been announced that Prince Charles would succeed the Queen as King almost quickly after her passing, and Camilla will serve as Queen Consort.
According to specialists at the Constitution Unit at University College London, this is the common law rule, and it is doubtful that Prince Charles would gift the kingdom to his son, Prince William.
They claim that Prince Charles would naturally desire to ascend to the throne and carry out the royal duties for which he has spent so much time training.
The Queen stated in early February 2022 that she wanted Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, to be referred to as the “Queen Consort” when the title changed hands (opens in new tab). Prince Charles himself referred to the title as a “real honor” for both him and his “darling wife”
Operation Spring Tide is the code name for Charles’s accession to the throne, claims University of New Hampshire professor Nicoletta Gullace(opens in new tab), an expert in modern British history.
The new king will address the nation after his first meeting with the prime minister, she continues, “after the flags have been down and the cannons have been fired, commemorating the queen’s death.”
Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and second in line to the throne, will take on the title of Prince of Wales, just like his father, while Prince Charles, if he chooses to keep his own name (as every royal does when they assume the throne), will be known as King Charles III.
The prime minister, the cabinet secretary, the senior ministers, and the Privy Council Office(opens in new tab), which coordinates government work, will all be informed of the Queen’s passing by her private secretary, who is currently Edward Young(opens in new tab), who took over for Sir Christopher Geidt when he retired in 2017.
The Foreign Office’s Global Response Centre, which operates out of a covert site in London, will tell the 15 states in which the Queen simultaneously serves as the head of state as well as the other Commonwealth(opens in new tab) countries, of whom she is the symbolic representative.
Another announcement will be made to the Press Association and the rest of the world’s media at the same time, and this is when we’ll likely learn the news. When Princess Diana passed away, however, it was the hospital’s anaesthesiologist, Dr. Bruno Riou, who informed the media – one hour after she was pronounced dead.
Although very morbid, major news organizations have already begun writing obituaries for the Queen, so these will likely be published as soon as the news is announced. This was the case when Prince Philip passed away(opens in new tab), and the procedure is in place for other royals and famous people.
Presenters who are on duty at the time will prepare for the announcement by dressing in black. Regular programs(opens in new tab) like Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and EastEnders will be canceled and replaced with a broadcast of the announcement on BBC Two and other networks.
Do you anticipate 12 days of mourning?
Yes, there is a 12-day period of mourning after the death of the Queen. Known as the “D-Days,” these preparations for the Queen’s funeral and Prince Charles’ accession to the throne are described in documents obtained by Politico(opens in new tab).
During this time, there will also be specific political events, such as a meeting of Parliament to decide on a condolence message, while MPs pay their respects in the House of Commons as they did after the passing of Prince Philip(opens in new tab) and then suspend all other business for ten days.
Prince Charles will embark on a journey to Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The Queen’s body will remain at Buckingham Palace throughout this time. On day 5, it will be transferred to the Palace of Westminster so that people can pay their respects. For three days, her body will lie in state with the casket open to the public. In the center of Westminster Hall, her coffin will be placed on an elevated box. This is a component of the FEATHER operation. Visitors will be welcome twenty-three hours a day.
What day and time is the Queen’s funeral?
On the tenth day of the mourning period, a state funeral for the Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey. At noon, there will be a 2-minute moment of silence throughout the UK. There will be procession both in Windsor and London.
At Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel, a funeral service will be held. And this is probably going to serve as the “public memorial” that is broadcast on television across the country.
The Queen will be laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel of the castle following the service. Her husband Prince Philip, her sister Princess Margaret, her parents King George VI and the Queen Mother, and their coffins will be positioned close to hers.
How many years has the Queen been in power?
After celebrating her 70th year on the throne on February 6, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II is now the monarch with the longest reign in the UK. The historic event, known as her Platinum Jubilee, will be commemorated in 2022 with an additional bank holiday in June (opens in new tab).
Tickets for a concert at Buckingham Palace are already on sale as part of the festivities, and a new Jubilee statue has already been unveiled.
After her father, King George VI, passed away on February 6, 1952, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne.
What will happen if the Queen passes away at Balmoral or Sandringham?
There are other processes in place if the Queen passes away anywhere other than Buckingham Palace.
The required arrangements for her funeral and the mourning period will be made once her body is returned to London.
Norfolk’s Sandringham
The Queen’s body would arrive at St. Pancras station on a royal train, where the prime minister and other cabinet members would be waiting to receive her casket.
The body would then be transported to Buckingham Palace by officials. The mourning period would proceed as scheduled, as would her funeral.
Scotland’s Balmoral
The Queen’s body would, if it could, be transported by the royal train, code-named Operation Unicorn, all the way to London. Operation Overstuddy is carried out if not.
From here, a jet flies the coffin all the way to London. The prime minister and others would greet the casket at a reception, much like the Sandringham scheme.
