London: Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday at the age of 96. She was the longest-serving monarch in all of the world’s history. But her death was one the Crown was prepared for since the 1960s. The plan for what happens after The Queen’s death is called “Operation London Bridge”.
Here is a series of events that are planned according to Operation London Bridge:
- After The Queen’s death, her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, called the Prime Minister (Liz Truss, in this case) and said, “London Bridge is down.”
- After the PM was alerted, the news was spread out to the 15 governments where she was still Head of State.
- Officials in the 38 other nations in the Commonwealth were alerted to the news.
- A footman dressed in black pinned an official notice to the gates of Buckingham Palace.
- BBC’s logo turned black from its usual red colour. A siren went off, which usually signals a national emergency.
- Flags were lowered to half-staff, and Prince Charles became the King unofficially.
- At 11:00 a.m. local time on Friday, Charles will officially become the King, and Camilla will become the U.K.’s Queen.
- King Charles will then undertake a tour of the U.K., stopping in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales to attend services.
- While that takes place, Westminster Hall will be prepped for Elizabeth’s funeral.
- Four days after Elizabeth’s death, there will be a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Elizabeth will lie in state for four days. She will be buried nine days after her passing.
- Two thousand guests will attend in person. The funeral will be broadcast globally.
- Elizabeth is expected to be buried next to her late husband, Prince Philip, and her father, King George VI.
- But the most important one is the words of the national anthem will be changed to “God Save the King.”
