The Queen is still in the best of health at the old age of 95. What exactly should happen after her death, of course, still has to be planned. Details have now become known
Long live our noble Queen ”: Even the British national anthem expresses the wish that the monarch should live a long time. At the moment it also looks like it. Because the 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth II is – as far as we know – still in the best of health.
Nonetheless, of course, the government must prepare for its possible demise. After all, there are many questions associated with it: When and how does the public find out about the Queen’s death? How do the mourning crowds get to Buckingham Palace without the chaos breaking out? How will the transition to Charles as the new king be designed? A government plan provides detailed answers to such questions. Code name: “Operation London Bridge”. This determines what should happen in the first ten days – between the confirmed death of the queen and the funeral. The online magazine “Politico” revealed new details.
Crowd worry
The first day, referred to as “D-Day” in the documents, is planned in particularly great detail. So there are not only precise instructions as to who is informed when, but also how. Ministers of the country are said to find out about the news with the following words: “We have just been informed of the death of Her Majesty the Queen”. And: “Discretion is required.” The flags in Whitehall should then be raised to half-mast within ten minutes. Years ago, doubts arose on Downing Street as to whether this would even be possible that quickly. The concern: How would it be received by the public if you even had to call a company to lower the flag? According to a government official, the problem has now been resolved.
Many measures on the first day also affect social media. According to “Politico” the website of the royal family should show a black homepage, on which the death of the Queen is confirmed. A black banner should appear on “uk.gov”, the government website. In the evening, Charles will address the nation. The days after that are tightly timed for Charles: He is appointed king at St. James Palace and starts a tour of the kingdom. He will travel to the capitals of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to visit royal residences and regional parliaments.
They have special respect for the crowds who will come to London to say goodbye to the Queen. So there is talk of the city possibly bursting at the seams for the first time – with fully booked hotels, full streets, buses and restaurants as well as overwhelmed police forces. In order to prevent the big chaos in the capital, the day of the funeral should be declared a public holiday. However, employers could determine whether it would be granted.
The funeral will then take place ten days after death at Westminster Abbey. The Queen is buried in the venerable St. George’s Chapel. But most Britons hope that this day is a long way off.
