Queen Elizabeth has died at the age of 96 following mounting concern over the health. She died at Balmoral Castle on Thursday (September 8) just days after making her first public appearance in months.
Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
As Her Majesty, who celebrated her Platinum Jubilee this summer, has passed away the country will now enter a period of official mourning. The 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.
The Queen will be buried 10 days after she dies, it is expected, and Charles will embark on a tour of the UK before the burial is held. The sovereign's coffin will lie in state for three days at the Houses of Parliament, with authorities anticipating hundreds of thousands of people to descend on London - sparking fears over gridlock, policing and even food shortages.
Any other Parliamentary business is set to be suspended for 10 days, it is reported. The day of the funeral will be a Day of National Mourning, but employers will not be compelled to give staff a day off.
The service will take place at Westminster Abbey, and a two minute silence will be held across the UK at noon. A committal service will be held at St George's Chapel, which is at Windsor Castle, where the Queen will be buried at King George VI Memorial Chapel.
'Operation Unicorn' plans were drawn up years ago outlining the procedures for if the Queen were to die in Scotland. As the country's longest-reigning monarch has died in her favourite residence, it will see the neighbouring palace of Holyroodhouse and St Giles' Cathedral as the main places for the public to pay their respects.
According to the plans, her body will be moved from Balmoral to Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh before travelling to London via train. It is understood that her body will be placed on the Royal Train at Waverley Station and will travel on the east coast mainline before finishing in London, reports the Mirror.
'Operation London Bridge', would have been applied if the Queen had died in London. It would have seen the Royal Household to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers request that religious buildings ring their bells with muffles in order to create a more solemn sound.
Many of the churches haven't used these since King George VI's death 70 years ago. Vicki Chapman, from the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, told the Mail on Sunday that adding the muffle turns the bells' normal "dong, dong, dong" into more of a thudding sound.
Full details of Operation London Bridge were leaked last year, giving a full day-to-day run down of what will happen when the Queen passes away. The day will be known as D Day, with the days following called D Day plus the number of days that have passed.
For example, the second day will be D Day Plus One. Prince Charles - who will become King upon his mother's passing - will address the nation on the day of her death, while the Prime Minister will be the first government member to issue a statement.
Government departments would have been instructed to have flags at half mast within 10 minutes of the Queen's passing being announced, with Cabinet members set to be called with the sad news and urged to show "discretion".
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