Named after a former London landmark that was “falling” forever, Operation London Bridge was the code word given to an officially choreographed sequence of events that would take place after the death of the British monarch. The not-so-secret plan was never officially released, although versions of it have been leaked several times over the years. It is designed to ensure not only that the news of the Queen’s death is spread in a dignified manner and that her memory is honoured, but also to ensure the continuation of the royal throne as Britain’s head of state. According to an account of the process published by the Guardian after a 2017 investigation, news of the Queen’s death would be announced privately by the Queen’s private secretary with a coded phrase: “London Bridge has fallen.” According to accounts of the plan, the day of death is known as ‘D-Day’. According to the expected process, after the death of the British monarch, his replacement immediately takes over. This means that after Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Thursday, her son Prince Charles automatically became monarch – and in his case became King Charles III. For the BBC, a state broadcaster, the process is complicated. The news is expected to be delivered in a cautious, dark manner, with the hosts wearing black to convey the significance of what has happened. A national emergency alert, rarely used, will ring in offices. Veteran host Jeremy Paxman wrote that in the 1970s and 80s, journalists were expected to come one weekend every six months to cover Elizabeth’s death. “Long series of instructions were created and laminated in plastic,” Paxman wrote in his book On Royalty. But some things have changed. On Thursday, news of the Queen’s death was first shared on a Twitter account belonging to the royal family. It was widely expected, however, and broadcasters from the BBC and other networks were already all in the black. Flags were flown at half-mast across the country, while notice of the death was posted both at Buckingham Palace and on the royal website. The following days are considered D-Day+1, D-Day+2, and so on, according to leaked documents published by Politico last year. Exactly how these days will play out is not yet clear, but we have a rough outline from centuries of monarchical practice. An “Accession Council” will likely meet on Friday. It usually meets within 24 hours of the monarch’s death, usually at St James’s Palace, where many important events in royal history have taken place. It hosts dignitaries and some members of the royal family for the accession proceedings of King Charles. The council officially declares the death of the monarch and the accession of the heir to the throne, according to the Privy Council, an official advisory body to the monarch. The Accession Council is chaired by the Lord President of the Privy Council — Penny Mordaunt, Conservative Member of Parliament and Leader of the House of Commons. Later – though not always on the same day – the new sovereign, or head of state, will hold his first meeting with privy councillors. The monarch will then take an oath, which every monarch has taken since George I in 1714. Signed copies of the oath are then sent to official record keepers. The proclamation marking the accession of the monarch is later read from the balcony above Friary Court at St. James, accompanied by gun salutes. After the reading of the proclamation announcing the accession of Charles, for the first time since 1952, the national anthem with the words “God Save the King” will be played. The Queen’s body is expected to be taken to Buckingham Palace on Saturday. As she died at Balmoral, Scotland, her family’s summer retreat, it is not yet clear whether the coffin will be transported by royal train or by plane. When the Queen’s body returns to Buckingham Palace, a small number of senior government ministers, including the Prime Minister, will attend a reception. Her body is expected to remain at that palace until Tuesday, when it will be moved to the Palace of Westminster and another service will be held. The Queen will sleep in the palace’s Westminster Hall. She will lie in a raised box known as a catafalque and members of the public, as well as VIPs, will be allowed to visit her to pay their respects. Meanwhile, the king will receive the condolence offer at Westminster Hall and later embark on a tour of the UK. He is expected to visit Scotland first, likely on Sunday, before heading to Northern Ireland on Monday. His last trip, to Wales, is expected on D-Day+7, which is next Thursday.
The funeral and the coronation The Queen’s state funeral is expected to take place on D-Day+10, which is Sunday September 18, at London’s Westminster Abbey. Heads of state and other VIPs from abroad will be in attendance. Later, there will be a ceremony at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, a royal home outside London, and the Queen will be buried in King George VI’s Chapel at St George’s Chapel. Britons will likely have the day off if the state funeral is on a weekday. Politico reported last year that the British government was concerned about the huge influx of people into funeral homes. The funeral of Queen Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Philip, last year may provide something of a model, although it was decidedly smaller in scale. This funeral took place on 17 April 2021. Although Prince Philip was not given a state funeral, which is reserved for monarchs, he was laid to rest after a service at St George’s Chapel. Philip was buried in the Royal Vault at St George’s Chapel, but his remains will be transferred to the King George VI Memorial to rest alongside the Queen.
