The Queen’s death has sparked “Operation Unicorn,” a detailed travel plan for her casket.
Tomorrow, the Queen’s body will be transferred from Balmoral, Scotland, to Edinburgh.
Her casket will make many stops before reaching St. George’s Chapel, where she will be laid to place.
Multiple stops will be made on the Queen’s final journey from her place of death in Scotland to her final resting place in London. The plan, codenamed “Operation Unicorn,” specifies the route her coffin will follow before to her funeral on September 19.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 at the age of 96. A few days prior, Buckingham Palace issued a statement expressing concern about the Queen’s health. She remained under medical observation until her death in Balmoral Castle, a Scottish royal estate.
The Queen’s coffin will not proceed directly to London, where she will be laid to place. Under “Operation Unicorn,” her casket must make a series of stops on this final journey.
The cortege will make five stops throughout Scotland.
The Times reports that the Queen’s body will be transported 102 miles from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The Telegraph stated that the hearse will make brief stops in Ballater, Aberdeen, and Dundee, where the public will be invited to pay their respects.
Once in Edinburgh, her Majesty’s coffin will spend the day at the renowned Holyrood Palace next to the Scottish Parliament. Receptions will be held with a select audience, the most of whom will be government officials.
The palace is the official Scottish residence of the British king. According to the Washington Post, the palace has Mary, Queen of Scots’s maintained living quarters. While Scotland pays its respects, the Queen’s remains will lay in repose in the throne room.
The procession will go from Holyrood down Edinburgh’s royal mile to the renowned St. Giles Cathedral. The public is likely to be permitted to view the casket and pay their respects. The casket of the Queen will arrive on September 12 and depart for London on September 13.
A parade in London preceding its journey to Windsor
The Times writes that a procession will take place in London from Buckingham Palace to Westminister Hall, where she will remain for five days. During this time, the public is welcome to offer homage.
The final procession of the monarch will take place following her funeral service at Westminster Abbey. This route will continue along the Mall until it reaches Hyde Park Corner. Her coffin will be transferred from this location to its ultimate burial place at Windsor Castle.
She will be interred next to her husband Philip in St. George’s Chapel.