In September 2021, the highest secret plan that shall 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’s 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 dying, ‘Operation London Bridge’ was first hatched within the Sixties, however had by no means been printed 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, nonetheless, revealed that as quickly because the Queen dies, all Whitehall flags have to 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 shall be made to look ‘spontaneous’. The Royal Household’s web site may also get replaced with an all-black web page with a brief assertion confirming Her Majesty’s dying, and all GOV.UK web sites may have a black banner added. Every day following Her Majesty’s passing shall be denoted as D-Day (the day she passes) and D+1, D+2, and so on. for subsequent days.
D-DAY: The Prime Minister shall be knowledgeable by telephone name and message that the Queen is lifeless. It isn’t clear if the code: ‘London Bridge has fallen’ shall be utilized by Buckingham Palace, however this has been the rumor because the plan was first drawn up within the Sixties.
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 instructed: ‘We’ve simply been knowledgeable of the dying 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 primary UK broadcasters. It might additionally verify plans for the Queen’s funeral, prone to be held 10 days following her dying.
An e mail may also be despatched to ministers and civil servants saying: ‘Pricey colleagues, It’s with disappointment that I write to tell you of the dying of Her Majesty The Queen’. Instantly all flags on Whitehall and throughout state buildings must be lowered to half mast. No 10 Downing Avenue has mentioned it’s involved that they don’t have a full time ‘flag officer’, which means there are specific hours of the day the place the flag might be tough to decrease. A contractor might be utilized in these durations, paperwork say.
Parliament shall 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 dying. Authorities web sites may also be turned black with particular, already designed banners. Official Twitter, Fb and Instagram accounts may also flip black and all tweets paused aside from these already agreed – however there shall be silence till the Prime Minister on the time speaks publicly first.
The PM will communicate in Downing Avenue on dwell TV to provide 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 primary night information bulletins. The Prime Minister and probably the most senior cupboard ministers will then go to a service of remembrance at St Paul’s Cathedral. Regardless of being pre-planned it must be made to look ‘spontaneous,’ based on 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 – shaped of all Privy Counsellors, Nice Officers of State, the Lord Mayor and Metropolis Civic occasion, Realm Excessive Commissioners and sure senior civil servants – shall be convened at St James’s Palace (pictured), near Buckingham Palace.
They’ll proclaim King Charles the brand new sovereign. All males shall be anticipated to put on morning gown or lounge fits with black or darkish ties. No medals or decorations may be worn. An official shall be filmed studying the proclamation that Britain has a brand new monarch – concurrently, the identical message shall be learn on the Royal Trade 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 shall be allowed.
D+2: Wherever the Queen’s physique rests, it is going to now be returned to Buckingham Palace. Her coffin shall be held within the Throne Room. There shall be an altar, the pall, the Royal Normal, 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 shall be carried to London on the Royal Prepare – it is going to arrive at St Pancras Station in London, the place her son Prince Charles, the PM and Cupboard Ministers shall be ready.
If Her Majesty is at Balmoral in Scotland (pictured), the Plan A, generally known as Operation Unicorn, will start. The Royal Prepare shall be despatched to Aberdeenshire to convey her coffin again to London, once more to St Pancras. If this isn’t potential, officers will swap to Operation Overstudy, which means the coffin shall be taken to London by airplane from Aberdeen Airport. That is prone to land at London Heathrow or RAF Northolt.
Her Majesty spends most of her time at Windsor Fortress (pictured in 2010), the place she has been in a Covid bubble because the begin of the pandemic. If she dies there, then her physique shall be moved to the capital by automobile. One other day of tributes within the Home of Commons is predicted 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 would 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 shall 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 Fortress, 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, generally known as Operation Lion. Pictured: The Queen and the late Prince Philip journey across the observe on the Royal Ascot in England in 1962.
D+5: The Queen will depart 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 gradual 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 folks. A memorial service shall be held when she arrives.
D-DAY +6 to D-DAY +9 Three days of the Queen mendacity in state begins, referred to as Operation Feather. Her coffin will sit on a darkish catafalque – a embellished picket 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 folks to go to shall be VIPs, who shall be given timed slots to pay their respects. Then, the general public will have the ability to 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 shall be big quantities of planning occurring within the royal family and in Whitehall, particularly guaranteeing heads of state, VIPs and dignitaries have preparations to move to the UK for the funeral on Day 10.
The Division for Transport, Dwelling Workplace and Border Pressure have plans in place for the variety of Britons and international vacationers anticipated to go to London on this interval. Transport for London may also be concerned to make sure Tube and bus provision is adequate. Greater than 1,000,000 folks might arrive, which means London’s lodges, public transport and public areas shall be ‘full’, one doc says. Police depart shall be seemingly be canceled, however there are issues 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 won’t be an official financial institution vacation. If it falls on a weekday, will probably be left to employers to determine if workers can have the time off, however there shall be no diktat ordering it.
Her Majesty shall be moved to the state funeral held at Westminster Abbey, culminating in a two minutes’ silence throughout the nation at noon. She’s going to then be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Fortress, the place she shall be buried within the King George VI Memorial Chapel subsequent to her beloved husband Prince Philip.
It isn’t recognized when Prince Charles’s coronation shall be held. However his mom, the Queen, was topped 16 months after King George VI died. There was hypothesis that Charles might select to turn into King George VII – utilizing his center identify as a tribute to his grandfather – however Clarence Home mentioned lately that ‘no determination has been made’. Pictured: Charles and Queen Elizabeth on July 31, 1967.
