After the death of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, today Thursday, Buckingham Palace and the British government activated the Queen Elizabeth II death plan, which is called “London Bridge”.
The plan envisages the Prime Minister being notified and waking him up if he falls asleep, and London Bridge is switched off, announcing his death over government secure lines.
48 steps are underway, including the Queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Young, who was the first to learn of the death and called the Prime Minister to inform him that Operation London Bridge had begun.
The Foreign Office’s Global Response Center then notifies the 15 governments outside the UK, of which the Queen presides, and 36 other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as notifying the Press Syndicate and alerting the world’s media, and Also hangs a note with it. Black edging on the gates of Buckingham Palace.
The Queen’s coffin is carried on a green ball cart, accompanied by 138 sailors, in a tradition that dates back to Queen Victoria, then taken to Windsor Castle, and as it enters the church, the cameras stop rolling and in Country. It remains in mourning for at least three days.
The new king, Charles, addresses the nation on the night of the queen’s death, and invitations to proclaim him king are printed within 24 hours, knowing that his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall, will become Queen Camilla.
During the nine days following the Queen’s death, ceremonial announcements and diplomatic gatherings are held, and the King travels to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Day 1: According to the London Bridge map, the first day of the Queen’s death is called “D-DAY” when Prime Minister Liz Truss is informed of the Queen’s death through official and confidential correspondence by the “Queen’s Private Officer”. The Prime Minister informs the senior ministers of the government, especially the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior and Treasury.
All members of the royal family will also receive an official letter announcing the Queen’s death, which members of the royal family will announce to the British public.
All ministers and senior officials will then be informed of the Queen’s death so flags will be lowered to half-mast at all government offices in the heart of London, provided the flags are flown at half-mast. The mast will be suspended for no more than 10 minutes in all government and ministerial headquarters, and work will be suspended in the British Parliament, as well as in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Perhaps the most important and sensitive event of the day will be the meeting between the new king and the prime minister, before King Charles addresses the nation as the country’s new king.
Day 2: The day after the Queen’s death, a coronation council will be held at King James’s Palace in London, attended by senior government officials, to name Charles as the country’s new king.
Queen Charles’ Coronation Proclamation will be read at King James’ Palace as well as in the City of London, confirming that Charles is the country’s new king.
Parliament convenes to announce the queen’s funeral and all business is suspended for 10 days, immediately after which the new king holds an audience with the prime minister and his government.
Day 3: The day when the Queen’s body was transferred to Buckingham Palace in London, and due to the presence of the Queen in Balmoral Palace in Scotland, the Unicorn plan is activated, that is, the Queen’s body is transferred through the royal route. train to London, specifically to St Pancras Station, and be received by the Prime Minister, or the body will be taken directly to Buckingham Palace, a process known as Overstudy.
Day 4: King Charles mourns the Queen’s passing in London’s Parliament Square and will then travel on a tour of parts of England, from Scotland to Wales.
Day 5: King Charles continues his tour of Northern Ireland, where he will receive condolences at Hillsborough Palace before heading to St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.
On the same day, security and preparatory operations are carried out for the transfer of the Queen’s body from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, a process to which the name “Operation Lion” has been attached.
Day 6: The day the Queen’s body was moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Palace.
Day 7: The Queen’s body will remain in the Palace of Westminster for 3 days and a number of people will be able to have a last look at the Queen and the case will be open for 23 hours a day.
At the same time, arrangements are being made for a state funeral, when the Queen will be taken to her final resting place.
Day 8 and 9: Preparations for the continuation of the state funeral for the transfer of the queen to her final resting place, the preparations which, considering the number of guests who will come from different parts of the world, require a lot of preparations from the government. In the presence of the British, the Prime Minister is expected to declare a day of national mourning, which is also a holiday.
Day 10: The Queen’s final official funeral will be held in Westminster Abbey, opposite the Houses of Parliament, and two minutes of silence will be observed across the country, followed by the coronation of King Charles at Windsor Castle. The official residence of the new king
As for the Queen’s body, it will be buried in the “Memorial” Chapel of King George VI’s Palace.
The coronation day of the new king is declared a national holiday and the lyrics of the national anthem are changed.
It should be noted that with the death of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth’s father, on February 6, 1952, when he was found dead by his chauffeur at 7:30 a.m. in Sandringham, the BBC did not announce the news until 11:15 a.m. I mean, after nearly four hours.
According to the report of the British newspaper “Guardian” published in 2017, the announcement of death is not announced immediately after its occurrence, but waits for some time for the official announcement.
Source: Lebanon Debate
