People planning for businesses and other organizations have long expected the day of the funeral to be treated as an unofficial bank holiday, with some businesses closing and workers being sent home. The mourning period begins on Friday and lasts for 10 days. It is believed that the funeral could take place on Monday, September 19. Those in the public and private sectors involved in planning their organisation’s response to the Queen’s death are expected to be flexible and give staff time off if they are particularly upset.
What will happen during the mourning period?
The government has issued guidance saying there is no need to close businesses or cancel sporting events during the period of national mourning. He added that some business owners and event organizers may want to consider closing or postponing events, especially on the day of the funeral, depending on the nature and tone, but there is no obligation to do so. The London Stock Exchange opened as normal on the Friday morning following the Queen’s death, while other business activities, and daily life in general, continued to a relatively normal degree.
Will schools close?
The Department for Education said schools and colleges in England should remain open as normal during the mourning period. In a message to headteachers and heads, the DfE said it would issue further guidance once details of the funeral were confirmed by the royal household. The DfE said: “Schools and further education places must remain open. While normal attendance is expected, principals still have the authority to grant leaves of absence to students in exceptional circumstances.” It said schools may want to “consider holding special activities, holding assemblies or adapting planned lessons” to honor the Queen’s life during the mourning period.
Will there be trains?
Rail strikes planned for September 15-17 were called off. Preparations are underway for a potentially unprecedented strain on London’s transport network as large numbers of people converge on the capital in the days leading up to the funeral. Government memos obtained by Politico in 2021 warned of a worst-case scenario in which London became “overcrowded” as mourners flocked there, with accommodation, roads, public transport, food, policing, health care and basic services being overwhelmed. As well as the possible additional services provided, visitors to London will see tributes to the Queen at stations, commemorative photographs and also, possibly, travel ambassadors to help people as they make their journeys.
Will the events be cancelled?
Sports have been told there is no obligation to cancel events and while many football matches have been postponed this weekend, other events including cricket, golf, rugby league and rugby union are going ahead. The Great North Run is due to take place on Sunday and its organizers said on Friday that it would go ahead. A statement posted on Twitter said: “While we want runners to enjoy the day, we encourage everyone to be mindful of the very special conditions in which the event will take place.” The move was welcomed by many, including those who pointed out that the run raised a large amount of money for charity. Organizers of sporting events from across the UK took part in a call with the government on Friday morning where they were told they may wish to cancel anything planned for the day of the Queen’s funeral. The BBC announced that the dances on Friday and Saturday had been cancelled, while the TUC had postponed its annual four-day conference, which had been due to be held in Brighton from Sunday. Race meetings were suspended on Thursday, while the British Equestrian Authority said on Friday that cancellations would extend to Saturday and that decisions would be made in due course on other events during the mourning period.
Will the stores close?
Most shops are expected to remain open, although some will close on the day of the funeral, particularly those near the procession route. However, department store chain Selfridges said it would close its doors on Friday as it led business tributes to the Queen. He said he intended to reopen the stores on Saturday with normal business hours. Inside branches of major retailers, shoppers may find that promotions aren’t pushed as loudly, and in-store music will mirror the somber tone of the airwaves. “Make sure the music in stores is appropriate and make sure things are consistent with the national mood,” the guidance states, adding that measures should be taken to ensure flags are flown at half-mast. King Charles III: the first 24 hours of a new monarch – video timeline
What about state-owned enterprises and other institutions?
During the period of official mourning, most announcements, visits and press releases will be suspended. Important information will still be shared, but probably only on gov.uk. All public servants in public or ceremonial roles will be asked to dress appropriately in mourning clothes. Courts fell silent on Friday, with cases briefly halted as judges expressed their “deep sorrow” at the Queen’s death. Among the lawyers and court users who gathered in the Great Hall of the Old Bailey to observe two minutes’ silence on Friday morning were some Old Bailey judges who wore “mourning belts” with dark lines around their necks instead of ordinary collars. Traditionally, they are worn for the entire period of mourning but are not mandatory. Local councils – where flags are flying at half mast – are meanwhile opening books of condolence, including online. Portsmouth City Council, Westminster City Council, Swansea City Council, Derby City Council, Preston City Council, Nottingham City Council, Lancashire County Council and Belfast City Council are among them who have already created books for local residents to sign. Elsewhere, the Church of England website has opened an online book of remembrance and is encouraging people to light a virtual candle for the Queen. Some in the arts sector have expressed concern after the Arts Council sent an email saying it was reviewing deadlines relating to funding applications as it awaited further information. The Technical Council said in the email that it is awaiting further information on the period of public mourning from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Broadcasters are switching programming to somber music and pre-planned packages, while official social media accounts for corporate brands, organizations and charities are shifting to “dark” pages, sometimes with just messages of condolence to the royal family. Broadcasters such as BBC One and ITV made changes to their regular programs following the Queen’s death. The BBC broadcasts rolling news coverage on Friday with a BBC News special filling regular TV slots between BBC News at One and BBC News at Six. Programs such as EastEnders, Homes Under the Hammer, Bargain Hunt and Doctors were moved from their usual slot and aired on BBC Two throughout the day. However, Channel 4 has confirmed that Gogglebox will be broadcast tonight as planned, as the broadcaster believes it will provide a “valuable sense of continuity” for many of its viewers. A statement from a Channel 4 spokesperson said: “Channel 4 has made significant changes to our programme, including additional extended news coverage, to ensure Channel 4 respects the news from Buckingham Palace of the death of Her Majesty The Queen . “Channel 4 exists to offer viewers an alternative and that is particularly important at times like these. Gogglebox is a much-loved national institution and will be shown as planned tonight, bringing a valuable sense of continuity for many of our viewers.” Corporate branding websites and social media presences have already changed, and social media account curators will be looking closely at the result. Visitors to some sites, such as Waitrose, will have been greeted on Friday morning with a photo of the Queen. Twitter and Facebook profiles for Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s have changed to muted colors or are just black and white.
What does the day of the funeral mean for everyday life?
If the events take place on the day of the funeral, the government suggests that organizations may want to adjust the timings of the events so they do not conflict with the funeral and associated processions. It adds: “As a mark of respect and in keeping with the tone of national mourning, organizers may wish to observe a period of silence and/or play the national anthem at the start of sporting events or matches, and players may wish to wear black armbands’.
