After the Queen’s death, what happens to the throne, money, and more?

The 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II. The majority of Britons have never experienced life without the Queen.

The longest-reigning queen in British history is Queen Elizabeth II. She ascended to the throne in 1952 and has ruled for 70 years at the age of 96.

Britain would come to a complete standstill for at least 12 days after her passing, possibly costing the UK economy billions in lost revenue.

But it goes beyond the economy. Prince Charles’ name may change, and the national anthem’s lyrics will also be revised.

For many years, Buckingham Palace has prepared for the days after the Queen’s passing. According to reports, the operation was called “London Bridge.”

According to papers acquired by Politico, plans for the Queen’s death and the ensuing succession were code-named “London Bridge” within Buckingham Palace.

According to reports, the elaborate plan included a “call cascade” to inform the British government of the queen’s death. Following an official public notice, the prime minister, cabinet secretary, and Privy Council Office were all to be notified.

The Daily Beast claims that preparations to announce the Queen’s death at 8 a.m. have long been made. if she were to pass very suddenly.

The majority of the palace’s employees will be sent home.

In the event of a significant incident, the royal court maintains a staff hotline where personnel may get news and orders.

A former employee of the palace informed Insider that the majority of the personnel of the palace and related organisations would be promptly sent home once the announcement has been made.

There will be a flood of sympathy from all across the globe.

The Queen’s passing will be a major news event around the globe due to Britain’s worldwide influence via its embassies, former colonies, and the Commonwealth (which pledges allegiance to the Queen).

Beyond the anticipated sympathy messages, it will be difficult to predict the UK government’s initial reaction, according to the former palace staffer Insider talked with.

The last time a king passed away was in 1952, thus practices that appeared reasonable at the time may now be horribly out of date. For example, mourners donned black armbands to honour King George VI, but comparable outward signs of sadness may not be used today.

Half-staff will be used for flags.

Up to 8 a.m., flags will be flying at half-mast. the day after the funeral, subject to the exception of Proclamation Day, as directed by the Greater London Lieutenant (more on that shortly). To commemorate the day of the Queen’s passing or the day following, churches may also ring their bells.

The funeral day will be observed as a bank holiday.

In the UK, many firms will shut down.

If the news is made during business hours, the London Stock Exchange and maybe other companies would shut.

Jonathan Freedland of The Guardian said that many Britons felt “compelled to shut their businesses or postpone sports events on the day of the burial, lest they face the anger of the tear-stained throngs outside” when Princess Diana passed away in 1997.

It seems conceivable that there will be much more widespread public sorrow over the Queen’s demise given her status and how deeply she was knit into the fabric of contemporary Britain.

The Department of Culture, Media, and Sport will establish the procedures that the government entities will adhere to (though they may also originate from the palace).

The British colonies abroad will likewise be in mourning.

According to a former ambassador with whom Insider talked, foreign missions will turn to the Foreign Office for urgent advice.

Like in the UK, social events will be postponed, and the Union Flag will be flown at half-staff until after the burial. The government will observe a time of grief and wear suitable attire. There will be prepared condolence booklets for guests to sign.

However, the ambassador also emphasised that given how long it has been since a British monarch has passed away, there is a lot of ambiguity around what will really occur.

The palace will host a “Accession Council” behind closed doors.

If no unexpected events arise, an Accession Council will be convened at St. James’s Palace to officially announce Prince Charles as the successor after the majority of staff employees have left and the public attractions have closed.

The Accession Council will be attended by privy counsellors, lords, the lord mayor of the city of London, and high commissioners of various Commonwealth nations, among others.

King Charles will succeed Queen Elizabeth II when she passes away, therefore this council is not necessary to “officially” designate him the next king. A ruler is always seated on the throne. Additionally, unlike the Union Flag, the Royal Standard is never flown at half-mast.

At the council, the new king will pledge allegiance to Parliament, and a “Access Proclamation” will be made.

The new king will pledge allegiance to the Church of England and to Parliament at the council. They will also take over as the church’s new top leader. (Catholics are not eligible to become monarchs.)

The council will also issue a Proclamation of Accession that will be read on Proclamation Day, shortly after the deceased person’s passing, in York, London, Edinburgh, Windsor, and other cities and towns across the nation.

The incoming monarch will receive political pledges of fealty.

Members of both chambers of Parliament will have the chance to swear a fresh oath of loyalty to the new king or queen. All parliamentarians are required to pledge loyalty to the reigning monarch.

A House of Lords spokesperson told Insider that members of both chambers would also deliver speeches of sympathy and allegiance to the new ruler in a manner that has not yet been decided.

Both houses will thereafter be adjourned until the conclusion of the formal state funeral.

Charles might choose for a new name.

The title of “King Charles” is not a given for Charles.

Royals may choose their royal name from any of their Christian or middle names when they succeed to the throne.

When Queen Elizabeth II was asked what she wanted her regnal name to be, according to Arthur Bousfield and Garry Toffoli, she replied, “My own, of course – what else?”

However, Charles had the option of changing into King Philip, King Arthur, or King George if he so desired.

Prince William won’t succeed to the throne.

Charles’ current position as Prince of Wales will be taken over by William.

Charles has spent his whole life waiting and preparing for this position. He is beyond the British retirement age since he is in his 70s.

According to The Telegraph, he reportedly remarked, “Impatient? Me? What a thing to propose! Yes, of course I am,” in 2012. If I don’t take care, I’ll run out of time and snuff it out.

The title of “Queen consort” will be given to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

Instead of “Queen,” Camilla was supposed to become “Princess consort,” but Queen Elizabeth II said in February 2022 that she wanted the Duchess of Cornwall to have that title in the future.

“I know you will support him and his wife Camilla the same way you have supported me when the time comes,” the Queen said in her Platinum Jubilee statement. “And it is my earnest intention that, when the time comes, Camilla will be recognised as Queen Consort as she continues her own faithful service.”

The corpse of the Queen will lay in state.

The coffin of the Queen will be ready to lie in state, which refers to displaying it for public inspection so that mourners may pay their respects.

In Westminster Hall, the Queen’s corpse will lay in state. Following a brief ceremony to commemorate the coffin’s arrival, mourners are welcome to pay their respects. The spokesperson said that the hall will be open every day except for one.

A new Vigil of the Princes could be coming.

Following her passing in 2002, the Queen Mother’s grandchildren temporarily took the place of the formal guard to keep watch over her coffin in what was known as the Vigil of the Princes. After King George V passed away, something similar occurred.

It is conceivable that Queen Elizabeth II would receive a similar gesture of commemoration.

More than 200,000 people visited the Queen Mother while she lay in state, and it’s probable that the number of people attending the Queen’s funeral will significantly surpass that.

There will be a widespread expression of sorrow.

When Princess Diana passed away, tens of thousands of people came out to leave flowers outside Buckingham Palace. According to The Guardian, there may have been as many as 1 million bouquets still available. For at least ten hours, people waited in line to sign memorial books.

Although it wasn’t a holiday on the day of her funeral, someone told the BBC that it was “everything closed, saturation TV coverage, no one at work.”

Another person described seeing “scenes of incredible anguish,” adding that it seemed as if everyone there had had lost a loved one.

Leaders from all across the world will attend the burial.

The funeral day, which will be a national holiday, will see Queen Elizabeth II’s remains remain in repose. This is most likely to occur 12 days after her passing, according to The Daily Mail.

The casket will subsequently be transported by a gun carriage to Westminster Abbey for a state funeral.

At 9 a.m. Big Ben’s bell will ring once on that particular day before having its hammer covered with a leather pad for the remainder of the day, as previously reported by Insider.

International leaders will attend to show their appreciation. With more than 70 years on the throne, Elizabeth II was the oldest head of state in the world.

The funeral will be broadcast live to billions of people worldwide.

According to the BBC, “nearly a million people lined the path of the funeral cortege to the abbey” on the day of Princess Diana’s funeral, and 30 million Britons watched it live. There were up to 2.5 billion spectators worldwide.

The viewing audience at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is probably comparable, if not higher.

Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury and the second-highest ranking member of the Church of England, will preside over the ceremony (after the monarch).

It will be time for a coronation a year from now.

There will be a coronation after a certain time of mourning, which might last up to around a year. It’s a rather formal event, and Charles might decide to omit it entirely because it won’t affect his power as ruler.

However, presuming Charles doesn’t want to completely buck convention, it will once again take place at Westminster Abbey under the direction of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Here is an old video showing the pomp and circumstance surrounding Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

Britain will spend billions of pounds on the coronation.

Similar to the celebrations that followed Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 royal wedding, the full ceremony will be televised on television and streamed online.

The wedding cost the economy between £1.2 billion and £6 billion as a national holiday, and the coronation will cost the taxpayer directly in addition to being the biggest ceremonial event to take place in Britain since the 1950s.

There will be a change to the British anthem.

There will be some new lyrics added to “God Save the Queen,” or rather, some old ones. As it was prior to Queen Elizabeth II coming to the throne, it will now be called “God Save The King.”

The previous national anthem was performed by Julie Andrews in front of King George VI in 1948.

Soldiers and police officers will also need new outfits.

The initials and regnal number now shown on police helmet insignia must be replaced.

Similar to this, plenty of military insignia will need to be updated.

Updated passports and stamps are required.

The wording on British passports, which now “request and demand in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to enable the bearer to move freely without let or hindrance,” needs to be updated.

Updating stamps to feature the new king’s head will also be necessary.

Even mailboxes will require modification.

Since there was never a Scottish Elizabeth I, the Queen’s regnal number, II, generated controversy in Scotland, where she also controls, and several postboxes carrying her cypher there were attacked and defaced.

There will also be a monument for the Queen.

Currently, temporary sculptures and pieces of art adorn the fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square, but according to former London Mayor Ken Livingstone, the fourth plinth is being saved for Queen Elizabeth II.