Queen Elizabeth II (96), the longest reigning monarch in history said goodbye to the world yesterday (September 9). Following her death, an announcement was made by Buckingham Palace that she died peacefully at Balmoral in her sleep. While Charles takes command as the new king, the royal family is making preparation for the Queen’s funeral, which will take 10-12 days after her death.
Preparation Was Already In Place…
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. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II was loved, not just in the U.K. but across the world. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the second-longest recorded rule of any monarch (sovereign country). Sadly, the 96-year-old queen passed away in her sleep yesterday (Sept. 9) at Balmoral.
The announcement was made hours after Elizabeth’s doctors shared their concern about the queen’s health. On Thursday morning (Sept. 9), an official announcement was made by her son King Charles III, who wrote:
“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”
As the queen leaves for the heavenly abode, people across the globe are wondering how the funeral processions will take place. If you aren’t aware, the plan regarding the queen’s funeral was already in place even before her death, and was codenamed “Operation London Bridge.”
D-Day marks the inception of Operation London Bridge, which will initiate a 10-day mourning period before the queen is finally buried near her parents and husband Philip. In the meantime, Queen Elizabeth will ‘lie in state until her funeral’. She will be given a state funeral, which is expected to take place after the 12-day mourning period. The Archbishop of Canterbury (Senior bishop of the Church of England) may lead the rituals.
What Is Operation London Bridge?
Operation London Bridge is the codename for the funeral plan of Queen Elizabeth II. The plan was first devised in the 190s and was revised many times before her death. is all about the announcement of her death, the official mourning period and specifics related to her state funeral. The plan suggested that the phrase “London Bridge” is down would be used to communicate the queen’s death to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The people participating in this plan include the Church of England, British Arme Forces, the Royal Parks, Metropolitan Police Service, the Great London Authority etc. FYI, other plans like Plan Unicorn” (the consequence of the queen’s death in Schotland) and Operation Spring Tide (accession of King Charles III and his first trip across the U.K.) also run concurrently with this operation.
Where Will Queen’s Funeral Take Place?
Even though an official announcement hasn’t been made, the Queen’s funeral is expected to take place 12-days from September 9, the date of the announcement of her death. It is possible that her funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey. The queen’s body will be buried at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
What Will Happen In The 12-Day Mourning Period?
Before the Queen is finally laid to rest, the United Kingdom will witness a 12-day mourning period. Today, the Queen’s coffin will be shifted at Balmoral and the flowers will be changed daily. The coffin shall be draped in the royal standard of Scotland. Interestingly, gun salutes will be fired at Hyde Park, London.
This will be done every 10 seconds for each year of the Queen’s life. Several outlets report that the funeral plans may change at any time, but it is expected that her body will be moved tomorrow to her residence in Scotland’s capital Edinburgh.
- On Sunday (Sept. 11), the royal family including Elizabeth’s children and grandchildren will take place in the profession from Holyrood to St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh. Here’ the queen’s coffin will be kept for 24 hours and the public will be allowed to pay respect.
- On Monday (Sept. 12), Queen Elizabeth’s coffin will leave for London by a royal train and will arrive at Westminster by September 13. It is expected that Westminster will witness millions of people on the streets to pay their last tribute to the queen.
- On September 14, the queen will finally rest in Westminster Hall, and after a brief service, she will lie in state for the next few days.
As the queen leaves us with her legacy, King Charles III will be coronated several months after the queen’s death. His wife Camilla, Dutchess of Cornwall will also be coronated alongside and will be called “Queen Consort” per the late queen’s request. FYI, as Charles becomes the new king, his oldest son Prince William is set to become the new hire to the throne and will be called the “Duke of Cornwall”.
It has been reported that 10-12 days after her death, Queen Elizabeth will be given a final farewell at Westminster Abbey. The rites will be attended by the royal family and heads of the states from across the world. As she will be buried, the nation will witness a two-minute silence. Please note that only the day of her burial will be considered a national holiday. The queen may be gone, but her legacy lives on forever!
