9 September 2022, 06:38
Operation London Bridge has been triggered following the death of Queen Elizabeth II – what does it mean?
Her Majesty The Queen died on Thursday, aged 96, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
It means Operation London Bridge – a carefully crafted plan that has been in place since the 1960s – kicks into action.
What is Operation London Bridge?
It’s the codename for the detailed set of plans following the Queen’s death. These include preparations for the announcement of the Queen’s death, the period of official mourning, and the details of her state funeral.
The vague outline of plans have been understood for some time, but in a series of documents obtained by POLITICO last year, the security plan was outlined in full.
It details everything from how news of the monarch’s death will be shared to the public to how quickly Prince Charles will ascend the throne.
D-Day/D+0 – Friday September 9
Today 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 Friday.
Charles and Camilla will stay at Balmoral overnight on Thursday, but will return to London on Friday.
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.
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.
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.
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.
They will also announce that the funeral day will be a public holiday in the form of a Day of National Mourning.
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.
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.
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.
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-Day+1 – Saturday September 10
At 10am on the day after The Queen’s death, the Accession Council — which includes senior government figures — will meet at St. James’ Palace to proclaim King Charles the new sovereign.
Hundreds of privy counselors, including the PM and senior ministers, will be asked to attend, with gentlemen expected to don morning dress or lounge suits with black or dark ties. No decorations are to be worn.
Then Charles holds his first Privy Council, accompanied by Camilla – the new Queen – 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.
The proclamation will then be read at St. James’ Palace and the Royal Exchange in the City of London, confirming Charles as King.
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.
Parliament will meet to agree on a message of condolence. All other parliamentary business will be suspended for 10 days.
MPs will give tributes in the House of Commons.
At 3.30pm, Charles will also hold an audience with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
D-Day+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-Day+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-Day+4 – Tuesday September 13
Queen’s 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-Day+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-Day+6 – Thursday September 15
Lying in state continues and a rehearsal is likely to take place for the state funeral procession.
D-Day+7 – Friday September 16
Lying in state continues, ending on D+9. Heads of state begin to arrive for the funeral.
D-Day+10 – Queen’s funeral – 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 2,000.
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.
