The death of the Queen in Scotland has prompted Operation Unicorn, a set of contingency procedures.
Unicorn initiates further ceremonial activities in Edinburgh prior to the practicalities of transporting the queen’s coffin back to London, as part of the long-held so-called London Bridge protocols for the aftermath of Elizabeth’s death
The Earl Marshal in charge of the planning, along with royal advisers and the government, will quickly change the overall schedule to include the Scottish aspect, while the military, clergy, and police focus on the vast practicalities.
Charles, the new king, and the Queen’s other children, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, and the Earl of Wessex, are currently at their mother’s bedside in Balmoral.
As funeral arrangements are being made, the procedure of appointing a new head of state begins immediately.
Although procedure mandates that he be proclaimed the new monarch the day after the Queen’s death, Prince Charles, age 73, is now essentially king.
This will occur at a meeting of the Accession Council, which convenes regularly at St. James’s Palace in London.
Operation Spring Tide is the codename for King Charles’s ascent to the throne.
In the next days, members of the royal family are scheduled to hold a solemn vigil around the Queen’s coffin at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
The Duke of Cambridge, who is now the heir to the throne, Camilla, the new Queen, and the Countess of Wessex are also at Balmoral. Initial plans call for the Queen’s casket to be placed in the Balmoral Ballroom.
The Scottish Parliament will be suspended, and Her Majesty’s body is anticipated to arrive in Edinburgh on the Royal Train after a trip of more than five hours, where it will lie in state overnight in the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The next day, her coffin will be brought up the Royal Mile to St. Giles’ Cathedral for a reception service.
The Queen’s children are scheduled to hold a vigil, known as the Vigil of the Princes, surrounding her coffin as it remains in the cathedral.
The public is anticipated to be permitted to file past the Queen’s casket in order to pay their respects.
The coffin of the Queen will then be placed back on the Royal Train and returned to Buckingham Palace in London.
If the voyage is to be performed by air, another contingency plan, codenamed Operation Overstudy, will be activated. The coffin will likely be flown aboard an aircraft of the Queen’s Flight to RAF Brize Norton or RAF Northholt.
Whether the casket arrives in London via air or rail, it will be received by a receiving committee comprised of the Prime Minister and members of her Cabinet.
Once Her Majesty’s body has been returned to Buckingham Palace, there will be eight additional days of official mourning until her funeral at Westminster Abbey.
All branches of the British government will now be compelled to take extraordinary measures, including a massive security operation to control the enormous crowds and transit problems, which might lead, in the words of one official memo, to London being declared “full.”
The new line of succession to the British throne upon the death of the Queen. Prince Charles is the new monarch.
In November of last year, Prince Charles and Prince William were spotted at The Cenotaph for the National Service of Remembrance. On June 30, 2022, Charles and the Queen will attend the Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland (also known as the Royal Company of Archers) Reddendo Parade in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Today, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. On July 21, Her Majesty arrived at Balmoral Castle to begin her summer vacation.
The United Kingdom will observe ten days of official mourning for Queen Elizabeth II. Above: The Queen meets with the president of Switzerland at Windsor Castle on April 28.
Although procedure mandates that he be proclaimed the new monarch the day after the Queen’s death, Prince Charles, age 73, is now essentially king. The Prince of Wales and the Queen are pictured above strolling in Balmoral in October 2021.
The Queen and Prince Charles attended a banquet at Buckingham Palace on October 23, 2016. Currently, Charles is King.
At 2018, Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at St Mary Magdalene’s church in Sandringham for the traditional Christmas Day service.
On June 2, 2003, the Queen was photographed with Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Prince William at Clarence House in London to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her coronation.
D-Day
In 2019, plans for Operation London Bridge were disclosed in minute detail.
They describe how the Prime Minister was the first person outside of Balmoral and Buckingham Palace to get word of the Queen’s death.
Since the plan was drafted in the 1960s, it has been rumored that the code ‘London Bridge has fallen’ would be used to signify Her Majesty’s death, but it has not been proven that this occurred today.
Will Prince Charles use one of his middle names or the title “King Charles”?
The Duke of Cornwall’s full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, and he has several alternatives for his surname, as you can read here. This indicates that Charles has the legal right to use any of his names as his regnal name.
According to the Constitution Unit at University College London (UCL), the Prince is free to make his own decision.
It stated, “King Edward VII chose Edward as his regnal title, although he had previously been known as Albert.” Although he was known as David by his family and friends, King Edward VIII selected Edward as his regnal title.
The Christian names of “Prince Charles” are Charles Philip Arthur George. In lieu of becoming King Charles, he may choose to become King George VII, King Philip, or King Arthur, despite previous denials by Clarence House.
In 2005, rumors circulated that Prince Charles had confidential discussions over the idea of adopting the name George VII. King George VI was the grandfather of Prince Charles.
As a tribute to his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, there is also the prospect of him becoming King Philip. He might potentially be titled King Arthur, however he might not choose to due to the worldwide fame of the Arthurian mythology. However, this is an intriguing prospect given that he already owns Tintagel Castle as part of the Duchy of Cornwall.
During talks, officials and the Prince of Wales reportedly discussed the likelihood that he would retain the name Charles.
Before the public was informed via a “official notification” delivered to the major UK broadcasters, a “call cascade” was made to Cabinet ministers, privy council members, and top officials in the Armed Forces.
According to the Operation London Bridge plans, they would have been read a script stating, “We have just been notified of Her Majesty the Queen’s passing.” Discretion is necessary’
As soon as the public was informed earlier today, an email was scheduled to be sent to ministers and civil workers announcing Her Majesty’s passing.
Later on today, all flags on Whitehall and state buildings will be lowered to half-staff.
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland’s devolved legislatures will also be called back into session.
The official website of the Royal Family has been turned black, with a brief message acknowledging the Queen’s passing.
Government websites have also been modified to display banners that have previously been prepared.
Official Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts will also turn dark, and any tweets other than those already agreed upon will be paused; nonetheless, until the Prime Minister speaks, there will be silence.
From Downing Street, the Prime Minister will address the country and pay tribute to Her Majesty.
She is now scheduled to meet with the new King, Prince Charles, who will deliver a televised address to the nation.
Later, the Prime Minister and senior Cabinet ministers will attend a Memorial Service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
D-Day +1
10am
The Accession Council, composed of all Privy Counsellors, Great Officers of State, the Lord Mayor and City Civic party, Realm High Commissioners, and top civil workers, will gather at Buckingham Palace.
There, King Charles will be proclaimed the new monarch, although he will have the choice to change his name.
He may choose a “regnal” name from his Christian or middle names, which would allow him to become King Philip, Arthur, or George instead of King Charles III.
Every new king since George I in 1714 has sworn an oath to “inviolably defend and safeguard the Settlement of the pure Protestant Religion” in Scotland.
Men are required to wear morning dress or lounge suits with black or dark ties at the event. There are no medals or decorations permitted.
Prince William, 39, is next in line for the throne, followed by his children, Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3, and then William’s brother, Prince Harry, 37.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, wife of Prince Charles, will officially become Queen Consort after Queen Elizabeth II given her approval.
The Accession Proclamation will be read aloud and signed before being read to the public in St. James’s Palace, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast, among other cities.
A almost seven-minute-long, 41-gun salute will be fired in Hyde Park at the command of the Council.
The nation’s politicians will then pledge loyalty to the new leader.
The Prime Minister will lead the tributes in the House of Commons, which will begin about noon.
The Prime Minister and Cabinet will visit Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles at approximately 3:30 p.m., but spouses will not be permitted.
The Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on December 8, 2016 at Buckingham Palace.
D-Day +2
As she is currently at Balmoral, Operation Unicorn continues. It is expected that Her Majesty will be laid to rest at Holyroodhouse, where she will be guarded by the Royal Company of Archers.
The casket might then be transported up the Royal Mile to St. Giles’ cathedral for a reception service. It will then be transferred to the Royal Train at Waverley station, which will transport it to London.
At level crossings and station platforms across the nation, large crowds are anticipated as the train passes.
If the train voyage is not feasible, it is anticipated that officials will turn to Operation Overstudy, in which the casket will be flown from Aberdeen Airport to London.
When the Queen’s body arrives in London, her casket will be displayed in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace.
There will be an altar, the pall, the Royal Standard, and four Grenadier Guards standing guard with their bearskin hats tilted and their weapons pointed towards the floor.
Since the onset of the coronavirus epidemic in 2020, Her Majesty has resided in Windsor and was only at Balmoral for her summer vacation.
If she had died at Windsor, her body would have been transported by automobile to Buckingham Palace.
If she had died in Sandringham, Norfolk, the Royal Train would transport her body to London.
Also anticipated is another day of tributes in the House of Commons and devolved parliaments.
New succession line to the throne of the United Kingdom Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Prince George Princess Charlotte Prince Louis Duke of Sussex Prince Harry
Archie Mountbatten-Windsor
Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor
Duke Andrew, Prince of York
Princess Beatrice Sienna Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Eugenie August Brooksbank
Lord Edward, Duke of Wessex
Viscount James Severn
Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Baroness
Anne, Royal Princess
Peter Phillips Savannah Phillips
Isla Phillips
Zara Tindall
Mia Tindall
Lena Tindall
Lucas Tindall
Earl David Armstrong-Jones of Snowdon
D-Day +3
The new King Charles will commence his tour of the United Kingdom with a stop at Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament.
There, legislators will present a “motion of condolence.”
Following his visit to the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh, he will attend a memorial ceremony at St. Giles Cathedral.
D-Day +4
King Charles will next fly to Northern Ireland, where members of the devolved parliament will present a second motion of condolence, this time at Hillsborough Castle, the official residence of the king while in Northern Ireland and the home of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
He will then attend a liturgy at Belfast’s St. Anne’s Cathedral.
The first rehearsal of Operation Lion, the procession of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster via The Mall, will occur in London.
D-Day +5
The Queen’s body will be transported from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, where she will lay in state.
This will be the first major military parade following the death of Her Majesty.
In 2002, 1,600 individuals participated in a similar leisurely march honoring the Queen Mother, which spanned a distance of half a mile. It is estimated that the route can accommodate around one million people.
There will be a memorial service when she comes.
Day six through day nine
The beginning of three days of the Queen lying in state, known as Operation Feather.
Her coffin will rest on a dark catafalque – a decorative wooden framework that supports the coffin of a notable person during a funeral or while lying in state – to make it easier for the public to view the coffin as they file through the area.
The public will have access to Westminster Hall for 23 hours every day, although the first visitors will be VIPs. They will be given scheduled times to pay homage.
Meanwhile, Charles will fly to Wales to conclude his visit of the United Kingdom. He will visit the Welsh parliament before attending a memorial service at Cardiff’s Llandaff Cathedral.
In April 1949, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrate the birth of their first child, Prince Charles, who will later become King.
There will be extensive planning in the royal household and in Whitehall, particularly to ensure that heads of state, VIPs, and dignitaries have made arrangements to travel to the United Kingdom on Day 10 for the funeral.
The Department of Transport, Home Office, and Border Force have made preparations for the anticipated amount of British and international visitors to London during this period.
Transport for London will also be involved to ensure sufficient Tube and bus service.
It is anticipated that over a million people will arrive.
Police leave will likely be cancelled, but there are questions about where the enormous numbers of stewards needed would be found from.
Day 10
The day of the funeral for the queen. It will be a “National Day of Mourning,” but it will not be a bank holiday.
If the holiday fell on a weekday, it would be up to companies to determine whether or not to grant employees a day off, but there will be no mandate mandating it.
Her Majesty will be transported to the state funeral at Westminster Abbey, which will conclude with a two-minute national moment of silence at noon.
About 2,000 attendees are anticipated.
When the coffin re-emerges, the pallbearers will set it on the same green gun carriage used for the Queen’s father, his father, and his father’s father, and 138 junior sailors will lower their heads and pull.
The last state funeral was held on April 9, 2002 for the Queen Mother. Here, the congregation at Westminster Abbey in London watches as pallbearers place her casket on the catafalque. In 2002, the hearse carrying the Queen Mother’s casket to her burial at Windsor Castle
Following King George VI’s death on February 6, 1952, the royal standard at full mast flies over Windsor Castle on the hill below his coffin, followed by the carriage bearing the Queen.
A royal procession through Norfolk on January 20, 1936, following the death of King George V. When the Queen’s coffin comes from Westminster Abbey, a green gun carriage used by her father and his father will be placed beneath it.
At the funeral of Queen Victoria in 1901, when the horses threatened to bolt at Windsor Station, a contingent of waiting ratings stepped in to pull the coffin instead.
The parade will then proceed to the Mall. The hearse will travel 23 miles by road from Hyde Park Corner to Windsor Castle, where the bodies of British monarchs are kept.
On the meadow, the Royal household will be waiting for her arrival.
Inside St. George’s Chapel, the elevator to the royal vault will descend, and King Charles will pour a handful of red soil from a silver bowl into the royal vault.
Her Majesty will be interred alongside her husband, Prince Philip.
It is unknown when Prince Charles will be coronated. However, his mother, the Queen, was crowned 16 months after the death of King George VI.