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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Explainer: what happens now after the death of Queen Elizabeth

'The end of the second Elizabethan era', Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II | September 9, 2022 | ACM

The Queen has died and the Prince of Wales is now King.

Here is the day-by-day account of what is expected to happen next, leading up to the Queen's funeral in about 11 days' time.

* DAY OF DEATH

Thursday would traditionally have been D-Day or D+0 in the plans for the aftermath of the Queen's death, codenamed London Bridge.

But the announcement has come late in the day - at 6.31pm on Thursday September 8 - meaning plans have been shifted a day to allow the complex arrangements to be put in place, meaning D+0 will be considered on Friday.

The new King had dashed to the Queen's bedside.

Charles was joined by the monarch's other children the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, and the Duke of Cambridge, now heir to the throne, with the Duke of Sussex also travelling there.

Also at Balmoral are Camilla - the new Queen Consort - and the Countess of Wessex.

The King and Camilla will remain at Balmoral on Thursday evening and will return to London on Friday.

Prince Charles is the new King. Picture by Jay Cronan

The following is expected to take place on Friday - D+0. But concrete plans are yet to be confirmed by Buckingham Palace.

"Excuse me, could I talk to you for a moment?" Mrs V Thomas said. So the Queen stopped in Civic Park in March 1977 to exchange a few words with the woman who spun the wool and knitted a shawl for the birth of the Queen's first son, Prince Charles.
Royal visit Newcastle 11-3-1977 Queen Elizabeth II civic Park
SUNDAY BEST: State Dockyard workers, left, meet the Queen in their thongs.
Mrs Margaret McNaughton, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and Lord Mayor of Newcastle Ald John McNaugton on steps of Newcastle City Hall. Queens visit Newcastle May 7 1988
Prince Phillip pensivley studies a painting at the Newcastle Region Art Gallery in March 1977. Picture by Allan Jolly
Royal visit 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II and Lord Mayor
11-3-1977 Queen Elizabeth II farewelled by Ken Booth as she gets ready to board the Royal Yacht Britannia
Royal visit Newcastle 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II and Lord Mayor
Royal visit 7-5-1988 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip Paula Healey of Adamstown and 2nd Kotara Guides presents posy to Queen Elizabeth II at Customs House
Priness Anne Civic Park Royal visit Newcastle 10-4-1970
Royal visit 10-4-1970 Priness Anne Civic Park
10-4-1970 CIVIC PARK Prince Phillip talking to Lyn Bell, swimmer at Civic Park
Royal visit 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II and Lord Mayor
Royal Tour Newcastle 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip and Princess Anne arive at the wharf to board the Britannia leaving Newcastle after their visit
Queen Elizabeth II At ISC Royal visit Newcastle 10-4-1970
10-4-1970 Newcastle Princess Anne Civic Park
Queen Elizabeth II with crowd in Civic Park Newcastle March 1977. This picture shows Anabelle's reaction when she thought the Queen had passed her by. Annabelle Traill, 4, with flowers
Royal Tour Newcastle 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II State Dockyard
Queen Elizabeth II and Lord Mayor Royal visit Newcastle 10-4-1970
Royal Tour Newcastle 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II leaving Queen Elizabth II, Prince Phillip and Princess Anne Arive at the Wharf to board the royal yacht Britannia leaving Newcastle after their visit
Princess Anne in Civic Park Newcastle Royal Visit 10-4-1970
Queen Elizabeth opening ISC Queen Elizabet at the offical openeing of the International Sports Centre
Queen Elizabeth II ISC After offically opening the International Sports Centre
14-3-1977 Annabelle proudly shows the picture of her meeting the Queen to her classmates today.
Royal Tour Newcastle 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip at the State Dockyard
Royal visit 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II Prince Phillip at Newcastle Airport
Royal visit 10-4-1970 Prince Phillip greetings at Town Hall
Queen Elizabeth II Civic Park Newcastle March 1977
Princess Anne walks onto the podium at the State Dockyard in April 1970.
Royal Tour Newcastle 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II at the State Dockyard
Royal Tour Newcastle 10-4-1970 Queen Elizabeth II leaving Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip and Princess Diana wave from the royal yach Britannia ready to leave Newcastle after their visit.
A little girl presents a posy to the Queen during the meet-the-people walk through Civic Park. Photo by Allan Jolly
Royal visit 10-4-1970 Prince Phillip greeting people at Newcastle Town Hall
The president of Port Stephens Shire Council, Cr Freeman, escorts the Queen past the crowd after her arrival at Williamtown RAAF BAse Queen Elizabeth II vist to Newcastle March 1977 Photo taken by John Herrett 11-3-1977
The Queen being farewelled by the Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, MR Ken Booth, as she prepares to board the Royal Yacht Britannia. Queen Elizabeth II in Newcastle NSW March 1977 Royal Visit
Royal Tour Newcastle 10-4-1970 Princess Anne Civic Park Archival Revival
Preparations for the Royal Tour by Queen Elizabeth the second in February 1954 out the front of the Newcastle Post Ofice
Ceremonial arches under construction prior to the Royal Tour by Queen Elizabeth the second in February 1954.
Hunter Street, Newcastle sporting decorations for the Royal Tour by Queen Elizabeth the second in February 1954
Decorations on the old Newcastle Police Station in Hunter Street, for the Royal Tour by Queen Elizabeth the second in February 1954
Decorations on the Klosters showroom for the Queen's visit in 1954.
The Queen's 1954 Hunter Street procession as seen from the old post office.
Newcastle City Hall ahead of the Queen's visit in February 1954.
Decorations on the Colonial Mutual Life building in Hunter Street Newcastle, during the Royal Tour by Queen Elizabeth the second in February 1954.

* D+0 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

- The King and Queen return to London - Charles and Camilla will stay at Balmoral overnight on Thursday but return to London on Friday.

- Audience with the PM - Despite his grief, duty calls for new sovereign Charles and his first audience as monarch with Prime Minister Liz Truss is expected to happen as soon as practically possible.

- Confirming funeral plans - Charles will meet the Earl Marshal - the Duke of Norfolk - who is in charge of the accession and the Queen's funeral, to approve the carefully choreographed schedule for the coming days.

The arrangements - codenamed London Bridge - have long been planned in consultation with the government.

They will incorporate Operation Unicorn, the contingency plans for the death of the Queen in Scotland.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the government and the Royal Household prepared a "London minus" version of the London Bridge plans in case it was needed - which is now unlikely - with all the elements but with the involvement of fewer people.

- Court mourning - Charles will decide on the length of court or royal mourning for members of the royal family and royal households. It is expected to last a month.

- National mourning - The UK government will confirm the length of national mourning, which is likely to be around 12 to 13 days, from now up to the day after the Queen's funeral.

They will also announce that the funeral day will be a public holiday in the form of a Day of National Mourning.

- Flags - Union flags on royal buildings will fly at half-mast.

The Royal Standard never flies half-mast. It represents the Sovereign and the United Kingdom and is a symbol of the continuation of the monarchy.

If the new King is in residence at a royal palace or castle, the Royal Standard will fly there full-mast as is the tradition.

The Union flag does not fly there at the same time.

The Union flag will also be flying half-mast over the Houses of Parliament. The UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is in charge of arrangements for lowering flags on government buildings.

Downing Street reportedly expressed concern in the past that the government would face a wave of public anger if it did not lower its flags within 10 minutes of the announcement of the Queen's death.

- Bells and gun salutes - Bells will toll at Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral and Windsor Castle, and gun salutes - one round for every year of the Queen's life - will be fired in Hyde Park and at other stations.

Floodlighting at royal residences will be turned off, and the public will begin to leave flowers as tributes from around the world pour in.

- Charles's televised address - The King will make a televised address to the nation, which he is due to pre-record.

He will pay tribute to the Queen and pledge his duty to his service as the new sovereign.

- Service at St Paul's Cathedral - The Prime Minister and senior ministers will attend a public service of remembrance at St Paul's in central London, with the event planned to appear as if impromptu.

* D+1 - SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10

At 10am on the day after the Queen's death, the Accession Council usually meets at St James's Palace in London to formally proclaim Charles as the new sovereign.

First, the Privy Council gathers without the King to proclaim the new monarch and arrange business relating to the proclamation.

Then Charles holds his first Privy Council, accompanied by Camilla, and William who are also Privy Counsellors, and makes his personal declaration and oath.

The first public proclamation of the new sovereign is read in the open air from the Friary Court balcony at St James's Palace by the Garter King of Arms.

Proclamations are made around the city and across the country.

Union flags go back up to full-mast at 1pm and remain there for 24 hours to coincide with the proclamations before returning to half-mast.

Charles will also hold an audience with the prime minister and the cabinet.

* D+2 - SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11

The Queen's coffin is expected to be taken by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Proclamations will be read in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland devolved parliaments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

* D+3 - MONDAY SEPTEMBER 12

Procession is expected along Royal Mile to St Giles' Cathedral. Service and the Vigil of the Princes by members of the royal family.

The public may get the chance to file past the Queen's coffin at a mini lying in state in St Giles'.

The House of Commons and the House of Lords are expected to come together in Westminster for a Motion of Condolence, which the King could attend.

After leaving England and visiting Scotland, Charles will at some stage travel to the other countries of the UK - Wales and Northern Ireland - known as Operation Spring Tide.

* D+4 - TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13

Coffin expected to be flown to London. Expected to be at rest at Buckingham Palace.

A rehearsal for the procession of the coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster takes place.

* D+5 - WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 14

The Queen's lying in state is expected to begin in Westminster Hall - Operation Marquee - following a ceremonial procession through London. It will last four full days.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service following the coffin's arrival.

Hundreds of thousands of people will file past the coffin on its catafalque and pay their respects, just as they did for the Queen Mother's lying in state in 2002.

The management of the queues outside is Operation Feather.

Senior royals are also expected to pay their own moving tribute, standing guard at some stage around the coffin - the tradition known as the Vigil of the Princes.

* D+6 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15

Lying in state continues and a rehearsal is likely to take place for the state funeral procession.

* D+7 - FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16 - SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18

Lying in state continues, ending on D+9. Heads of state begin to arrive for the funeral.

* D+10 - MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19

The Queen's state funeral is expected take place at Westminster Abbey in central London.

The original plans are for the Queen's coffin to process on a gun carriage to the abbey, pulled by naval ratings - sailors - using ropes rather than horses.

Senior members of the family are expected to poignantly follow behind - just like they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The military will line the streets and also join the procession.

Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2000.

The service will be televised, and a national two minutes' silence is expected to be held.

The same day as the funeral, the Queen's coffin will be taken to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for a televised committal service.

Later in the evening, there will be a private interment service with senior members of the royal family.

The Queen's final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the main chapel - where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.

Philip's coffin will move from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen's.

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