As the nation comes to terms with the death of the Queen behind the scenes the detailed plans set aside for the aftermath are being rapidly put into action. The arrangements, which have the codename London Bridge, have been in place for many years and were updated and reviewed regularly by palace aides in consultation with the Queen herself and also the government.
The strategy for the final farewell to Elizabeth II will be set in motion once approved by Charles, the new King. The task is a major undertaking on a scale never seen before – and has added challenges with the death of the Queen at Balmoral, with the contingency Scottish plans known as Operation Unicorn now part of the process. Follow live updates on the latest breaking news following the Queen's death here.
The day the Queen died will reportedly be referred to as D-Day as part of the plans and the following days would be referred to numerically – so the day after her death would be D+1 and so on. You can read the full details on Operation London Bridge and what happens when the Queen dies here. The funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey on D+10 – a total of 10 days after her death. However as this would be a Sunday it's expected the ceremony would take place on another day. The UK Government is said to fear a worst-case scenario for the day of the funeral in which London becomes “full” for the first time as hundreds of thousands of people try to make their way to the capital with accommodation, roads, transport, and policing stretched to breaking point.
London Bridge – the process between the death of the Queen and her funeral – falls under the remit of Operation Lion, the plan covering all royal deaths. A series of other coded operations will get under way. Operation Marquee covers the Queen’s lying in state inside Westminster Hall while Operation Feather deals with the logistics and crowds outside during the lying in state.
Operation Spring Tide will set in motion Charles’s first trip as King to the other three countries of the UK – Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland ahead of the funeral. The Queen’s coffin will also have to be moved logistically and ceremonially at different stages over the coming days.
Thousands of people will be involved over the next week-and-a-half – from military guards, the clergy, and the Government to staff at Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and Kensington Palace who will be ensuring the households continue to run smoothly during this traumatic time for the royal family. The palace will be Monarchy HQ amid the transition to kingship and the funeral preparations.
Although there is a job to be done those in the palace will have to ensure they are sensitive to the family’s grief. The Queen’s children and grandchildren will enter a period of official mourning for their matriarch, which could last for several weeks.
Official engagements can continue during this time although most will be postponed or cancelled. However it will depend on the wishes of the new King. Social engagements are usually cancelled except those for charitable causes.
There are various types of mourning but royal – also known as court – mourning includes the royal family, royal households and the Queen’s representatives in the UK and abroad wearing black and also using black-edged writing paper.
Prince Charles immediately assumed the role of King following the death of his mother. The new monarch is expected to deliver an address to the nation before travelling to London. On Friday the Accession Council will gather to officially crown Charles at a black-tie event in front of hundreds of people at St James' Palace. Within days the new monarch will tour the UK, which would include a trip to Cardiff for a service at Llandaff Cathedral. The tour will begin in Scotland, visiting the Scottish Parliament, before the new King travels to Scotland to receive a motion of condolence at Hillsborough Castle. He would then travel to Wales.
Read more on this story:
- What happens if the Queen dies: The plans in Operation London Bridge
- Huw Edwards appears on BBC News wearing black tie
- BBC One pulls its TV schedule
- BBC's Royal editor explains why Buckingham Palace's statement about the Queen is so serious
- Duchess of Cambridge couldn't immediately travel to Balmoral
