The date of the funeral has not yet been confirmed but is expected to take place on Monday 19 September.
Will there be a public holiday for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral?
The King approved on September 10 an order according to which the day of the Queen’s funeral will be a public holiday. The date is not yet confirmed. During the Accession Council, Lord President of the Council Penny Mordaunt said: “Two proclamation plans. One – the designation of the day of the late Majesty’s state funeral as a public holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. “Two – the designation of the day of the late Majesty’s state funeral as a public holiday in Scotland. “And two orders in council, directing the Lord Chancellor to set the great seal to the proclamations.” Charles replied: “Approved.”
Which sporting events are cancelled?
Several sporting events have been cancelled, including football matches and races. This archive will be updated with the latest sporting events.
Will schools be closed for mourning?
The Department for Education said schools and colleges in England should remain open as normal during the mourning period. In a message to directors, department officials said they will issue further instructions after the funeral details are confirmed by the royal household. Headteachers 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.” The message from the DfE went on to urge that schools may want to “consider holding special activities, assemblies or adapting planned lessons” to commemorate the Queen’s life.
Will the shops close for mourning?
Shops will generally remain open throughout the mourning period, although some may choose to close on the day of the funeral, particularly if they are close to the procession route. Official guidance from the government states: “There is no obligation on organizations to suspend operations during the period of National Mourning.” Some businesses may wish to close during the mourning period, especially on the day of the Queen’s funeral, but this is at their discretion. None of the major supermarkets have yet announced changes to their opening hours.
Strikes
Postal and rail strikes were called off on Thursday as the country entered a period of national mourning following the Queen’s death. A planned strike by Royal Mail workers on Friday was called off after the Queen’s death. Members of the Communications Workers Union were to continue their 48-hour strike in a dispute over pay and conditions. The railway strikes planned for September were aborted. The train drivers’ union Aslef had set a strike date for Thursday, September 15. The Personal Transport Salaried Association (TSSA) had planned strike action on Monday 26 September. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has postponed its annual conference due to be held in Brighton from Sunday for four days.
Government
Normal government business has been reduced to the basics, with policy announcements on hold – although measures to implement the new energy price freeze will continue to go ahead. Government press releases and policy announcements will not be made as usual during the mourning period, although critical information will still be shared. Public buildings will continue to function and government machinery continues, but a high bar will be adopted for new government communications with the country.
