In September 2021, the highest secret plan that can be enacted when Queen Elizabeth dies was leaked in a memo obtained by POLITICO. The revelation spurred fury in Buckingham Palace and prompted Britain’s Cupboard Workplace to launch an investigation into who leaked the paperwork simply days later. Right here, MailOnline outlines what was found within the leak – and what is going to occur when the world’s longest-reigning feminine monarch in historical past passes, as set forth in ‘Operation London Bridge’.
The plan for the Queen’s loss of life, ‘Operation London Bridge’ was first hatched within the 1960s, however had by no means been revealed in such granular element till it was leaked to POLITICO. Earlier than its leak, ‘Operation London Bridge’ was solely shared with a small group of individuals. It’s launch, nevertheless, revealed that as quickly because the Queen dies, all Whitehall flags should be lowered to half mast inside ten minutes adopted by a TV tackle and UK tour by Prince Charles and a pre-planned memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral for ministers that can be made to look ‘spontaneous’. The Royal Household’s web site will even get replaced with an all-black web page with a brief assertion confirming Her Majesty’s loss of life, and all GOV.UK web sites could have a black banner added. Every day following Her Majesty’s passing can be denoted as D-Day (the day she passes) and D+1, D+2, and so forth. for subsequent days.
D-DAY: The Prime Minister can be knowledgeable by telephone name and message that the Queen is useless. It’s not clear if the code: ‘London Bridge has fallen’ can be utilized by Buckingham Palace, however this has been the rumor for the reason that plan was first drawn up within the 1960s.
A ‘name cascade’ will start, informing politicians and civil servant s so as of seniority, beginning with the cupboard, the cupboard secretary and the Privy Council. There’s a script that shouldn’t be diverted from, with the person being informed: ‘Now we have simply been knowledgeable of the loss of life of Her Majesty The Queen. Dscretion is required’. The decision will then be ended. Solely then will an ‘official notification’ delivering the information to the general public -likely to be to the Press Affiliation and the principle UK broadcasters. It might additionally affirm plans for the Queen’s funeral, more likely to be held 10 days following her loss of life.
An e-mail will even be despatched to ministers and civil servants saying: ‘Pricey colleagues, It’s with disappointment that I write to tell you of the loss of life of Her Majesty The Queen’. Instantly all flags on Whitehall and throughout state buildings ought to be lowered to half mast. No 10 Downing Road has stated it’s involved that they don’t have a full time ‘flag officer’, that means there are specific hours of the day the place the flag may very well be tough to decrease. A contractor may very well be utilized in these durations, paperwork say.
Parliament can be recalled the devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire will adjourn. The Royal Household’s official web site will flip black with a brief announcement confirming the Queen’s loss of life. Authorities web sites will even be turned black with particular, already designed banners. Official Twitter, Fb and Instagram accounts will even flip black and all tweets paused aside from these already agreed – however there can be silence till the Prime Minister on the time speaks publicly first.
The PM will communicate in Downing Road on stay TV to offer the primary tribute to Her Majesty. She or he will then go to see the brand new King, Prince Charles, who will tackle the nation himself at 6pm to coincide with the principle night information bulletins. The Prime Minister and essentially the most senior cupboard ministers will then go to a service of remembrance at St Paul’s Cathedral. Regardless of being pre-planned it ought to be made to look ‘spontaneous,’ in keeping with the official paperwork leaked to POLITICO. Pictured: Britain’s present Prime Minister Boris Johnson on April 5, 2022.
D+1: At 10am the next day, the Accession Council – fashioned of all Privy Counsellors, Nice Officers of State, the Lord Mayor and Metropolis Civic get together, Realm Excessive Commissioners and sure senior civil servants – can be convened at St James’s Palace (pictured), near Buckingham Palace.
They’ll proclaim King Charles the brand new sovereign. All males can be anticipated to put on morning costume or lounge fits with black or darkish ties. No medals or decorations could be worn. An official can be filmed studying the proclamation that Britain has a brand new monarch – concurrently, the identical message can be learn on the Royal Alternate within the Metropolis of London, subsequent to the Financial institution of England. At Noon, MPs will give tributes within the Home of Commons, lead by the Prime Minister. And at 3:30pm, the Prime Minister and the cupboard will go to Buckingham Palace and meet with the brand new King Charles, however no spouses can be allowed.
D+2: Wherever the Queen’s physique rests, it can now be returned to Buckingham Palace. Her coffin can be held within the Throne Room. There can be an altar, the pall, the Royal Customary, and 4 Grenadier Guards, their bearskin hats inclined, their rifles pointing to the ground, standing watch.
There are completely different plans relying on the place the Queen was when she passes away. If she was at Sandringham in Norfolk (pictured in 1973), her physique can be carried to London on the Royal Prepare – it can arrive at St Pancras Station in London, the place her son Prince Charles, the PM and Cupboard Ministers can be ready.
If Her Majesty is at Balmoral in Scotland (pictured), the Plan A, often known as Operation Unicorn, will start. The Royal Prepare can be despatched to Aberdeenshire to convey her coffin again to London, once more to St Pancras. If this isn’t doable, officers will swap to Operation Overstudy, that means the coffin can be taken to London by aircraft from Aberdeen Airport. That is more likely to land at London Heathrow or RAF Northolt.
Her Majesty spends most of her time at Windsor Fort (pictured in 2010), the place she has been in a Covid bubble for the reason that begin of the pandemic. If she dies there, then her physique can be moved to the capital by automotive. One other day of tributes within the Home of Commons is anticipated in addition to the devolved parliaments.
D+3: Three days following the Queen’s passing, the brand new King Charles will start a tour of the UK. It’s going to start with a go to to Westminster Corridor within the Homes of Parliament, the place MPs will give a ‘movement of condolence’. His subsequent cease can be Edinburgh to go to the Scottish parliament adopted by a memorial service at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.
D+4: King Charles will then fly to Northern Eire, the place members of the devolved parliament will give one other movement of condolence, this time at Hillsborough Fort, the residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Eire, and the official residence of the monarch whereas in Northern Eire. He’ll then attend a service at St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.
In the meantime, in London, the primary rehearsal of the procession of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster through The Mall will happen, often known as Operation Lion. Pictured: The Queen and the late Prince Philip journey across the monitor on the Royal Ascot in England in 1962.
D+5: The Queen will go away Buckingham Palace and carried to the Palace of Westminster to lie in state. The procession would be the first nice army parade. Pictured: Prince Charles walks behind the Duke of Edinburgh on April 17, 2021.
An identical sluggish march for the Queen Mom in 2002 (pictured) concerned 1,600 personnel and stretched for half a mile. The route is believed to carry round 1,000,000 individuals. A memorial service can be held when she arrives.
D-DAY +6 to D-DAY +9 Three days of the Queen mendacity in state begins, known as Operation Feather. Her coffin will sit on a darkish catafalque – a embellished wood framework supporting the coffin of a distinguished individual throughout a funeral or whereas mendacity in state – to make it simpler for the general public submitting by to see the coffin. The primary individuals to go to can be VIPs, who can be given timed slots to pay their respects. Then, the general public will be capable of stroll by with the room solely shut for one hour every day.
In the meantime, Charles will fly to Wales for the ultimate leg of his UK tour. He’ll go to the Welsh parliament earlier than a memorial service at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff. And there can be large quantities of planning happening within the royal family and in Whitehall, particularly making certain heads of state, VIPs and dignitaries have preparations to move to the UK for the funeral on Day 10.
The Division for Transport, House Workplace and Border Power have plans in place for the variety of Britons and overseas vacationers anticipated to go to London on this interval. Transport for London will even be concerned to make sure Tube and bus provision is ample. Greater than 1,000,000 individuals may arrive, that means London’s accommodations, public transport and public areas can be ‘full’, one doc says. Police go away can be possible be canceled, however there are considerations in regards to the variety of stewards required and the place to seek out them.
D-DAY +10: The day of the Queen’s funeral. Will probably be a ‘Day of Nationwide Mourning’ – though is not going to be an official financial institution vacation. If it falls on a weekday, will probably be left to employers to resolve if workers can have the time without work, however there can be no diktat ordering it.
Her Majesty can be moved to the state funeral held at Westminster Abbey, culminating in a two minutes’ silence throughout the nation at noon. She is going to then be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Fort, the place she can be buried within the King George VI Memorial Chapel subsequent to her beloved husband Prince Philip.
It’s not recognized when Prince Charles’s coronation can be held. However his mom, the Queen, was topped 16 months after King George VI died. There was hypothesis that Charles may select to turn out to be King George VII – utilizing his center identify as a tribute to his grandfather – however Clarence Home stated lately that ‘no resolution has been made’. Pictured: Charles and Queen Elizabeth on July 31, 1967.
