London, 9 September 2022 (TDI): On September 8, Queen Elizabeth II died, marking the end of an era. Following her death, the echoes of Operation London Bridge resurfaced.
Queen Elizabeth II reined the United Kingdom for 70 years. Hence, her demise has somewhat jarred the entire world. This is because a reigning British monarch has passed away after a very long time.
In case of the death of a reigning monarch, there must be a strategy. Consequently, as a response, the long-awaited “Operation London Bridge” was launched to manage the aftermath.
Operation London Bridge was the code name given to a formally choreographed sequence of events that would take place following the death of the British monarch. It was named after a former London landmark that was always “falling down.”
Though versions of the not-so-secret plan have been revealed to the public multiple times over the years, it has never been officially released.
It is presumably aimed at not only ensuring that the queen’s death was officially confirmed in a dignified manner and that her memory was honored but also to ensure the preservation of the royal throne as Britain’s head of state.
As per one of the accounts of the procedure accepted for publication by the Guardian following a 2017 investigation, the queen’s private secretary would privately announce the queen’s death with a coded phrase.
“London Bridge is down”
D-Day; the day of the death
According to some accounts, the day of the death is known as “D-Day.” Following the death of the British monarch, customarily her replacement; her son Prince Charles took over immediately and became King Charles III.
However, the standard procedure for the state-funded broadcaster; BBC, is not that simple. The news is expected to be delivered carefully & solemnly, with hosts dressed in black to reflect the gravity of the situation. In offices, predictably a seldom used national emergency alarm will sound.
However, on the contrary, the news of the queen’s death was first shared on a royal family Twitter account on Thursday. Flags were flown at half-staff across the country, and the death was announced on both Buckingham Palace and the royal website.
D-Day+1; The day after the Death
According to some claims, the subsequent days are designated as D-Day+1, D-Day+2, and so on. The specifics of how these days will unfold are unknown, but some conclusions can be drawn from centuries of monarchical practice.
An “Accession Council” meeting is scheduled for Saturday, a day later than usual. The body usually meets within 24 hours of the monarch’s death at St. James’s Palace, where many significant events in royal history have occurred.
It houses officials and some royals for King Charles’ accession proceedings. According to the Privy Council, the formal advisory body to the monarch, the council formally declares the monarch’s death and the accession of the successor to the throne.
Later, the new sovereign will meet with privy counselors for the first time. The monarch will then take an oath to protect the Church of Scotland, as has every monarch since George I in 1714.
The monarch’s accession proclamation is later read from the balcony above Friary Court at St. James’s Palace, accompanied by gun salutes.
After the proclamation announcing Charles’ accession is read, the national anthem will be played with the words “God Save the King” for the first time since 1952.
D-Day+2 onward
The Queen’s coffin will depart Balmoral estate in the coming days for the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and then to St Giles’ Cathedral. The coffin will then move to London, ready for lying in state.
Some of the top government officials, including the Prime Minister, will attend a reception when the queen’s body returns to Buckingham Palace.
Her body is expected to remain there until it will be transferred to the Palace of Westminster for another service.
Meanwhile, the king will accept the motion of condolence at Westminster Hall before embarking on a tour of the United Kingdom. He is expected to visit Scotland first, Northern Ireland, and Wales, respectively, before the funeral.
The Queen’s coffin will depart Balmoral estate in the coming days for the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh – the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland.
From here it will be taken in procession to St Giles’ Cathedral, where the Queen will lie at rest for 24 hours, allowing the public to view her coffin.
The Funeral
The Queen’s state funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey in less than two weeks. The exact day will be confirmed by Buckingham Palace. Foreign heads of state and other personnel will be present.
Later, a committal service will be held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The queen will be laid to rest inside King George VI’s Memorial Chapel within St. George’s Chapel.
Finally, the Queen’s coffin will be lowered into the Royal Vault before being interred in St George’s Chapel’s King George VI memorial chapel.
