Queen Elizabeth II’s reign started in 1952, so the majority of people in the UK are now experiencing something unprecedented: the death of their sovereign.
Though many will wonder what happens next, the Royal Family has been preparing for Elizabeth’s death since the 1960s.
Operation London Bridge is the plan for the minutes, hours, and days following the Queen’s death, activated by the sombre message, “London Bridge is down”.
Under the plan, the first official to acknowledge the death would be Sir Edward Young, private secretary to the sovereign.
Young’s role is to communicate official messages between the reigning monarch and the government, including the news of her death.
Operation London Bridge dictates that the Prime Minister is then informed in a series of calls made to various senior government officials including the cabinet secretary and the Privy Council.
The 15 other governments where the Queen was head-of-state are also be informed, in addition to the remaining members of the Commonwealth.
The day of the Queen’s death is known as D-Day within the Royal Family and government. Tomorrow will be D-Day+1, followed by D-Day+2 and so on.
The date of the Queen’s funeral should be announced later today but it is expected to take place on D-Day+10.
Prime Minister will make a statement ahead of other MPs before holding an audience with the new sovereign, and the new monarch, King Charles, will broadcast a message to the nation later today.
A remembrance service is due to take place at St Paul’s Cathedral, attended by senior officials.
All parliamentary business, except preparing a message of condolence for Charles, will be suspended until after the Queen’s funeral.
Charles, the ex-Prince of Wales, has technically already become King, though his official coronation ceremony may not take place for months.
Rex nunquam moritur is an old common law rule meaning ‘The King never dies’. It symbolises that the sovereign exists in perpetuity, but in a practical sense it means that Charles, as heir to the throne, became King the moment Elizabeth died.
The Accession Council will meet at 10am tomorrow at St James’ Palace to proclaim him the new sovereign.
On D-Day+3 King Charles is scheduled to begin a tour of the UK to receive motions of condolences in parliament and attend services. He will begin in Westminster before heading that afternoon to Edinburgh.
According to London Bridge, on D-Day+4 the King will arrive in Northern Ireland, receiving the motion of condolence at Hillsborough Castle before attending a service at Belfast’s St Anne’s Cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth’s coffin will be taken along a ceremonial route through London the following day, from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, and a service will be held upon its arrival.
The coffin will lie on display in Westminster Hall for three days and can be visited by the public for 23 hours a day.
King Charles will travel to Cardiff on D-Day+7 to receive the motion of condolence at the Welsh parliament and attend another service at Liandaff Cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will finally take place on D-Day+10, held at Westminster Abbey. She will later be buried in Windsor Castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel.
A two-minute silence will take place across the UK at noon.
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