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Watch: Operation London Bridge – This is what will happen when Queen Elizabeth dies
Questions about how news of Queen Elizabeth II's passing will be shared have been raised after news that she has taken ill at her Balmoral residence.
The Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth. Picture: Instagram
Amid news that Queen Elizabeth II is unwell in her Balmoral home and all members of her immediate family were on their way to the palace, questions about what will happen if the Queen dies have started to trend.
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, Buckingham Palace said the 96-year-old Queen must get rest.
“Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.”
“The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral,” the statement read.
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The 96-year-old’s medical checks and hospital visits have been under close scrutiny since earlier this year, when she contracted Covid, leading to updated documents with detailed information of what will happen on the day the queen dies being revealed.
Watch the video below, courtesy of The Washington Post:
For many years, it has been suggested that on the day of the queen’s death, a codename “Operation LONDON BRIDGE” will be given to the day, and the prime minister will receive a phone call from a civil servant telling him or her that “London Bridge is down”.
POLITICO recently received a series of documents which laid out detailed information on how Britain would respond in the 10 days between the queen’s death and her funeral.
This is how the Queen’s death will be announced:
Death Day
In the early hours after the queen’s passing, calls will be made to inform the prime minister, the cabinet secretary and a number of senior ministers and officials.
Internally, this day will be referred to as “D-Day”, and each day leading to the actual funeral will be referred to as “D+1,” “D+2” and so forth.
Ministers and senior public servants will receive an email from the cabinet secretary which reads: “Dear colleagues, it is with sadness that I write to inform you of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.”
Flags across Whitehall will be lowered to half-mast once the email has been received.
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The royal family’s official website will change to a black holding page with a statement that confirms the queen’s death. All government departmental social media pages will also show a black banner and change their profile pictures to their departmental crest.
The royal family will announce the plans for the funeral, which will be expected to take place 10 days after her death.
The prime minister will be the first member of the government to make a statement on the queen’s passing.
The minister of defence will arrange for gun salutes to take place at all saluting stations.
The prime minister will hold an audience with the new king, and at 6pm, King Charles will deliver a broadcast to the nation.
This video is no longer available.
D-Day+1
On the next day after the queen’s death at 10am, the accession council will meet at St James’ Palace to proclaim King Charles the new sovereign.
Hundreds of councillors will be asked to attend, and the men will be asked to attend in morning dress or lounge suits with black or dark ties.
The proclamation will be read at St James’ Palace and the Royal Exchange in the City of London, confirming Charles as the new king.
Any other parliament business will be suspended for 10 days until Queen Elizabeth II has been laid to rest.
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D-Day+2
The queen’s coffin will be taken back to Buckingham Palace in different modes of transport, dependent on where she passed away.
If she dies at Sandringham, her body will be carried by royal train to St Pancras Station in London, where her coffin will be met by the prime minister and cabinet ministers.
If she passes away in Balmoral in Scotland, her body will be taken to London by the royal train if possible. If that is not possible, then the coffin will be carried back to London by plane. The coffin will be met by the prime minister and the cabinet ministers.
D-Day+3
King Charles will embark on a tour of the United Kingdom, starting with a visit to the Scottish parliament and a service at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.
D-Day+4
A rehearsal will take place for Operations LION, the procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.
D-Day+5
Operation LION will be in full swing as the procession of the coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster will take place along a ceremonial route through London.
There will be a service in Westminster Hall following the arrival of the coffin.
D-Day+6 to D-Day=9
Operation FEATHER will be implemented. The queen’s coffin will lay on a raised box, known as a catafalque, in the middle of Westminster Hall for three days, and it will be open to the public for 23 hours each day.
A rehearsal will take place for the state funeral procession.
King Charles will travel to Wales to receive another motion of condolences at the Welsh parliament and he will also attend a service at Liandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.
D-Day+10
The 10th day will be the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. The funeral will be held at Westminster Abby.
There will be a two-minute moment of silence across the nation at midday.
Processions will take place in London at Windsor.
There will be a committal service in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, and the queen will be laid to rest in the castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel.
*This article was first originally published on 27 October 2021 and has been updated with relevant and new information.
