Operation London Bridge was launched after the death of Queen Elizabeth II – what does it mean? Her Majesty The Queen died on Thursday, aged 96, Buckingham Palace confirmed. It means that Operation London Bridge – a carefully planned plan that has been in place since the 1960s – springs into action.
What is the London Bridge business?
It is the code name for the detailed set of plans after the Queen’s death. These include preparations for the announcement of the Queen’s death, the period of official mourning and details of her state funeral. The vague outline of the plans has been understood for some time, but in a series of documents obtained by POLITICO last year, the security plan was fully outlined. We detail everything from how news of the monarch’s death will be shared with the public to how soon Prince Charles will ascend the throne.
D-Day/D+0 – Friday September 9th
Today would traditionally be D-Day or D+0 in plans for the aftermath of the Queen’s death, codenamed London Bridge. But the announcement came late in the day – at 6.31pm. of Thursday 8th September – meaning the plans have been shifted a day to allow the complex arrangements to be put in place, meaning D+0 will be considered a Friday. Charles and Camilla will stay at Balmoral overnight on Thursday but return to London on Friday. Despite his sadness, duty calls for a new sovereign Charles and his first audience as monarch with Prime Minister Liz Truss is expected to take place as soon as possible. Charles will meet the Earl Marshal – the Duke of Norfolk – who is responsible for the Queen’s accession and funeral, to approve the carefully choreographed program for the coming days. The arrangements – codenamed London Bridge – have long been planned in consultation with the government. They will incorporate Operation Unicorn, the emergency plans for the Queen’s death 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, between now and the day after the Queen’s funeral. They will also announce that the day of the funeral will be a holiday in the form 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 each year of the Queen’s life – will be fired at Hyde Park and other stations. The floodlights in the royal residences will be switched off and the public will start leaving flowers as tributes will flood in from around the world. The King will make a televised address to the nation, which he plans to record in advance. He will pay homage to the queen and commit to his duty in his service as the new sovereign. The Prime Minister and senior ministers will attend a public memorial service at St Paul’s in central London, with the event appearing to be impromptu.
D-Day+1 – Saturday 10 September
At 10am the day after the Queen’s death, the Council of Accession — which includes senior government officials — will meet at St James’s Palace to declare King Charles the new sovereign. Hundreds of privy councillors, including the prime minister and senior ministers, will be invited to attend, while gentlemen are expected to wear morning dresses or suits with black or dark ties. No decorations should be worn. Then Charles holds his first Privy Council, accompanied by Camilla – the new Queen – and William who are also privy councillors, and makes his personal declaration and oath. The first public proclamation of the new sovereign is read outdoors from the balcony of Friary Court at St James’s Palace by the Garter King of Arms. The proclamation will then be read at St James’s Palace and the Royal Exchange in the City of London, confirming Charles as King. Announcements are made throughout the city and throughout the country. Union flags are raised again at 1pm and remain there for 24 hours to coincide with the proclamations before returning to half-staff. Parliament will meet to agree a message of condolence. All other business of the House will be suspended for 10 days. MPs will make tributes in the House of Commons. At 3.30pm, Charles will also have an audience with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
D-Day+2 – Sunday 11 September
The Queen’s coffin is expected to be taken by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The proclamations will be read in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish parliaments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
D-Day+3 – Monday September 12th
The procession is expected along the Royal Mile to St Giles Cathedral. Procession and Vigil of the Princes by members of the royal family.
The public can have the opportunity to pass the Queen’s coffin in a mini lying in state at St Giles.
The House of Commons and the House of Lords are expected to meet in Westminster for a condolence proposal, which could be attended by the King.
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 13th
The Queen’s coffin is expected to be flown to London. He is expected to rest at Buckingham Palace. Rehearsal for the procession of the coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.
D-Day+5 – Wednesday September 14th
The Queen’s enthronement is expected to begin at Westminster Hall – Operation Marquee – after a ceremonial procession through London. It will last four whole days. The Archbishop of Canterbury will hold a short service after the coffin arrives. Hundreds of thousands of people will pass the coffin in its sanctuary and pay their respects, as they did for the Queen Mother’s vigil in 2002. Managing the queues outside is Operation Feather. Senior members of the royal family are also expected to pay their own moving tributes, at some stage standing guard around the coffin – the tradition known as the Princes’ Vigil.
D-Day+6 – Thursday September 15th
Lying in state continues and there is likely to be a rehearsal for the state funeral.
D-Day+7 – Friday September 16th
The recumbent state continues, ending on D+9. Heads of state begin to arrive for the funeral.
D-Day+10 – The Queen’s funeral – Monday 19 September
The Queen’s state funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey in central London. The original plans are for the Queen’s coffin to be carried in a gun carriage to the abbey, pulled by seamen – sailors – using ropes rather than horses. Senior members of the family are expected to mourn – just as they did for the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh. The army will line the streets and also participate in the march. Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royalty and key figures in public life will be invited to gather at the abbey, which can accommodate a congregation of 2,000. The service will be televised and a national two-minute silence is expected. On the same day as the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for a televised ceremony. Later in the evening there will be a private burial service with senior members of the royal family. The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI Memorial, an annexe to the main chapel – where her mother and father are buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret. Philip’s coffin will be moved from the Royal Vault to the memorial to join the Queen’s coffin.
