Operation London Bridge
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Operation London Bridge was the funeral plan for
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
. The plan included the announcement of her death, the period of official
mourning Mourning is the emotional expression in response to a major life event causing grief, especially loss. It typically occurs as a result of someone's death, especially a loved one. The word is used to describe a complex of behaviors in which t ...
, and the details of her
state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...
. The plan was created as early as the 1960s and revised many times in the years before her death in September 2022. The phrase "London Bridge is down" was to be used to communicate the death of the Queen to the
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...
and key personnel, setting the plan into motion. Bodies involved in preparing the plan included various government departments, the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
, Metropolitan Police Service, the
British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...
, the media,
the Royal Parks The Royal Parks make up land that was originally used for the recreation, mostly hunting, by the royal family. They are part of the hereditary possessions of The Crown, now managed by The Royal Parks, a charity which manages eight royal pa ...
,
London boroughs The London boroughs are the current 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London, England; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs wer ...
, the
Greater London Authority The Greater London Authority (GLA), colloquially known by the Metonymy, metonym City Hall, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved Regions of England, regional governance body of Greater London, England. It consists of two political ...
and
Transport for London Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London, United Kingdom. TfL is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board, which was established in 1933, and His ...
. Some critical decisions relating to the plan were made by the Queen herself, while some were left to be determined by her successor. Reporting on the preparations, ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' described them as "planned to the minute" with "arcane and highly specific" details. Several other plans were also created to support the implementation of Operation London Bridge, such as Operation Unicorn (the plan that detailed what was to happen if Elizabeth were to die in Scotland, which she did). Running concurrently with Operation London Bridge were operations concerning
King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
's accession to the throne and coronation. Several
Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...
s developed their own plans for how to react to the death of the Queen.


History

Funerals and coronations of members of the royal family are typically organised by the
Earl Marshal Earl Marshal (alternatively marschal or marischal) is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England (then, following the Act of Union 1800, in the U ...
and the officers in the
College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
. Preparations for Elizabeth II's death and funeral had also been made by the
Cabinet Office The Cabinet Office is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for supporting the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister and Cabinet ...
. Pre-determined phrases have typically been used as "codenames" for plans relating to the death and funeral of a royal family member. Initially, codenames were used by key officials in an effort to prevent
switchboard operator In the early days of telephony, companies used manual telephone switchboards, and switchboard operators connected calls by inserting a pair of phone plugs into the appropriate jacks. They were gradually phased out and replaced by automated syste ...
s of
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
from learning of the death prior to a public announcement. When
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
died in 1952, key government officials were informed with the phrase "
Hyde Park Corner Hyde Park Corner is between Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Mayfair in London, England. It primarily refers to a major road junction at the southeastern corner of Hyde Park, that was originally planned by architect Decimus Burton. The juncti ...
". Several codenamed funeral plans for royal family members in the late-20th and early-21st centuries have used the names of prominent bridges in the United Kingdom. Operation Tay Bridge was the phrase used for the death and funeral plans of
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...
, which was rehearsed for 22 years before its eventual use in 2002. The
funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, started on Saturday 6 September 1997 at 9:08am in London, when the tenor bell of Westminster Abbey started tolling to signal the departure of the cortège from Kensington Palace. Diana's coffin was ...
in 1997 was also modelled after Operation Tay Bridge. , the phrase Operation Forth Bridge referred to the death and funeral of
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 19219 April 2021), was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from h ...
, who died in 2021. The funeral arrangements for
Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
used several different codenames during his lifetime, called Operation Clare Bridge before being renamed Operation Menai Bridge. All coded operations for members of the royal family, including the plan for Elizabeth II, form a part of Operation Lion, an overarching plan for any royal death. The operation and the coded phrase for Elizabeth II's death was first made public in a 2017 ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' article. A 2024 biography of Charles III by
Robert Hardman Robert Hardman (born 1965) is a British journalist, author and documentary filmmaker best known for his work on the British Royal family. Biography Hardman was born in 1965. He was educated at Wellington College and Pembroke College, Cambrid ...
claimed the King's funeral arrangements have "been upgraded to Operation London Bridge, mirroring those of Elizabeth II". Planning for Charles III's funeral arrangement began shortly after his coronation held in 2023. The biography also claims that the codename Operation Menai Bridge was used for
William, Prince of Wales William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. William was born during the reign of his pat ...
, replacing the codename previously used, Operation Clare Bridge.


Plan

Preparations for Queen Elizabeth II's death and funeral date back to the 1960s, with the plan having undergone multiple changes in the decades since. The plan was updated three times a year through a meeting involving government department officials, the police, and broadcasters. The plan that outlines the process between the death of the Queen and her funeral was codenamed Operation London Bridge. On the death of the Queen, her private secretary would be the first official (i.e., not one of her relatives or part of a medical team) to convey the news. Their first act would be to contact the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
, where
civil servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...
would convey the code phrase "London Bridge is down" to the prime minister using secure telephone lines. The
cabinet secretary A cabinet secretary is usually a senior official (typically a civil servant) who provides services and advice to a cabinet of ministers as part of the Cabinet Office. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powe ...
and the Privy Council Office would also be informed by the private secretary. The cabinet secretary would then convey the news to ministers and senior civil servants. The
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is the ministry of foreign affairs and a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. The office was created on 2 ...
's Global Response Centre, based at a secret location in London, would communicate the news to the governments of the fourteen other countries of which Elizabeth was queen (the
Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...
s), and to the governments of the other countries of the
Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an International organization, international association of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, 56 member states, the vast majo ...
. Government websites and social media accounts, as well as the royal family's website, would turn black, and publication of non-urgent content would be avoided. The media would be informed by announcement to PA Media and the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
through the Radio Alert Transmission System (RATS) and to commercial radio on the
Independent Radio News Independent Radio News provides a service of news bulletins, audio and copy to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom and beyond. The managing director, Tim Molloy, succeeded long-term MD John Perkins in November 2009. Perkins had been ...
through a network of blue " obit lights" which would alert presenters to play "inoffensive music" and prepare for a news flash, while
BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matte ...
would suspend scheduled programming and switch to
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
's broadcast of the announcement.
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
would air a pre-recorded sequence of portraits, during which the presenters on duty at the time would prepare for the formal announcement by putting on dark clothing prepared for this purpose. ''The Guardian'' reported that ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' had 11 days of prepared coverage ready and that
ITN Independent Television News (ITN) is a UK-based media production and broadcast journalism company. ITN is based in London, with bureaux and offices in Beijing, Brussels, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, New York City, New York, Paris, Sydney and Washin ...
and
Sky News Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel, live stream news network and news organisation. Sky News is distributed via an English-language radio news service, and through online channels. It is owned by Sky Group, a division of ...
had long rehearsed her death, substituting the name "Mrs Robinson" for the Queen's. A footman would pin a dark-edged notice to the gates of Buckingham Palace. At the same time, the palace website would display the same notice. The
Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...
and the
Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
, Welsh and
Northern Irish The people of Northern Ireland are all people born in Northern Ireland and having, at the time of their birth, at least one parent who is a British Nationality Law, British citizen, an Irish nationality law, Irish citizen or is otherwis ...
parliaments would meet as soon as is practical or be recalled if they are not sitting. The prime minister would address the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
. The new monarch would host a meeting with the prime minister and then deliver a speech to the nation at 6 pm, the evening following the Queen's death.
Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...
and local government buildings would fly flags at
half-mast Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a sal ...
and books of condolence may be opened; in some places local conventions may be specified, for example in many cases ceremonial ornaments, such as
ceremonial mace A ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a Head of state, sovereign or other high officials in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, der ...
s or council chains, are to be covered with a black purses or tied with a black ribbon. Such practices are not universally followed. Gun salutes would take place at saluting stations and a service of remembrance, to be attended by the prime minister and senior ministers, would be held at
St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...
. Ten days after the Queen's death, a state funeral led by the
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
would be held at
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
. A funeral procession was also planned, with the Queen deciding on the order of the procession. A two minutes' silence would take place across the United Kingdom at midday and processions would gather in London and Windsor. Her body would then be buried in a prepared tomb at
King George VI Memorial Chapel The King George VI Memorial Chapel is part of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England. The chapel was commissioned by Elizabeth II in 1962 as a burial place for her father, George VI, and was completed in 1969. It contains the final re ...
in
St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle St George's Chapel, formally titled The King's Free Chapel of the College of St George, Windsor Castle, at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is a Royal peculiar, Royal Peculia ...
, alongside Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose coffin would be moved from the Royal Vault. A committal service would be held at St George's Chapel before the burial. As agreed by the Queen and the prime minister, the day of the funeral would be declared a day of national mourning, although a bank holiday would not be granted.


Supporting operations

Operation London Bridge included several ancillary and supporting plans, such as the plans for the arrangements at
Westminster Hall Westminster Hall is a medieval great hall which is part of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. It was erected in 1097 for William II (William Rufus), at which point it was the largest hall in Europe. The building has had various functio ...
. This includes Operation Marquee, a plan that covers the ceremonial, service and vigil aspects of the Queen's
lying-in-state Lying in state is the tradition in which the body of a deceased official, such as a head of state, is placed in a state building, either outside or inside a coffin, to allow the public to pay their respects. It traditionally takes place in a m ...
inside Westminster Hall; and Operation Feather, which concerns the logistical details with the public outside of the building. Several plans were also created that outlined the arrangements for moving the Queen's coffin, depending on where she died. In the event she had died at Windsor Castle or
Sandringham House Sandringham House is a country house in the parish of Sandringham, Norfolk, England. It is one of the royal residences of Charles III, whose grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, both died there. The house stands in a est ...
, the coffin would have been taken by Royal Train to
St Pancras railway station St Pancras railway station (), officially known since 2007 as London St Pancras International, is a major central London railway terminus on Euston Road in the London Borough of Camden. It is the terminus for Eurostar services from Belgium, F ...
in London, where the prime minister and cabinet ministers would be waiting. Had the Queen died outside the UK, "Operation Overstudy" provided that her coffin would have been flown to
RAF Northolt Royal Air Force Northolt or more simply RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station in South Ruislip, from Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, western Greater London, England, approximately north of ...
by the RAF's Air Mobility Force. In every scenario, the coffin, upon its arrival in London, would be transported by hearse to Buckingham Palace where it would rest in the Throne Room. Five days after the Queen's death, the coffin would have been moved to Westminster Hall and, after a service, the Queen would lie in state for three days.


Operation Unicorn

Were the death of the Queen to occur in Scotland, "Operation Unicorn" called for The Palace of Holyroodhouse,
St Giles' Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral (), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; ...
, and the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
to serve as the focal point of gatherings, with a condolence book open to the public at the latter location. Parliamentary business would be suspended immediately for at least six parliamentary days, to allow authorities to prepare for the funeral. The parliament would then prepare a motion of condolence within 72 hours of reconvening. The Queen's coffin would first lie in repose at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, followed by a service of reception at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. Following this the coffin would be transported to Waverley station and taken by the Royal Train to London, if possible. Otherwise, the coffin would be taken by aeroplane to London, and received by the prime minister and cabinet ministers; this was part of Operation Overstudy.


Related operations

The plans for the event of the Queen's death and funeral would occur concurrently with other related plans, including the plans for the ceremonial accession of King Charles III to the throne, Operation Spring Tide, and his coronation plans, Operation Golden Orb.


Operation Spring Tide

The Queen's death and funeral plans worked concurrently with Operation Spring Tide, the plan for the accession of Charles III to the throne. One day after the Queen's death, the
Accession Council In the United Kingdom, the Accession Council is a ceremonial body which assembles in St James's Palace in London upon the death of a monarch to make formal proclamation of the accession of the successor to the throne. Under the terms of the Act o ...
would meet at
St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, England. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster. Although no longer the principal residence ...
and Charles would be proclaimed king. Parliament would meet that evening when MPs would swear allegiance to Charles III and express condolences for the Queen's death. Most parliamentary activities would then be suspended for 10 days. At 3:30 p.m., Charles III would host the prime minister and the cabinet for an audience. Two days after the Queen's death, proclamations for the King would be made by the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish administrations. On the third day after the Queen's death, Charles III would receive the motion of condolence at Westminster Hall in the morning and then depart for a tour of the United Kingdom. Charles III would visit the Scottish parliament and attend a service at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. On the next day, Charles III would visit Northern Ireland, where he would receive a motion of condolence at
Hillsborough Castle Hillsborough Castle is an official British government, government residence in Northern Ireland. It is the official residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland,
and attend a service at St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast. Seven days after the Queen's death, Charles III would visit Wales, receiving a motion of condolence at the Welsh parliament and attending a service at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff. Supporting plans exist within Operations Spring Tide for specific arrangements in each constituent country in the UK; including Operation Shamrock for Northern Ireland, Operation Kingfisher for Scotland, and Operation Dragon for Wales.


Implementation

Operation London Bridge and Operation Unicorn were activated upon the death of Elizabeth II, which occurred on 8 September 2022 at
Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle () is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and west of Aberdeen. The estate and its original castle were bought ...
in Scotland. Although the operation was intended to be brought into action on the day that Elizabeth II died (identified in the plan as "D-day"), the late time of her death rendered it inconvenient to convene the accession council at short notice. The decision was taken to designate the following day, 9 September as D-day. This also avoided the problem of the funeral (on D+10) taking place on a Sunday. Many leaders from around the world attended her funeral, leading to thousands of police officers being called for their protection. In a change from the reported plan, Charles III announced upon his proclamation that the day of the Queen's funeral would be a bank holiday. Although the Queen did not die overseas, an aeroplane — an RAF C-17 Globemaster — was used to transport the coffin to London. This decision was taken on security grounds, as it would be too difficult to police the entire rail route. Police were deployed in key areas in Scotland to maintain security for the royal family and Elizabeth's body as it moved to Edinburgh Airport. There were 13 arrests made for the duration of the operation in Scotland.


Corresponding plans

Officials from Buckingham Palace and
Clarence House Clarence House is a royal residence on The Mall in the City of Westminster, London. It was built in 1825–1827, adjacent to St James's Palace, for the royal Duke of Clarence, the future King William IV. The four-storey house is faced in ...
, known as the Inter-Realm Working Group, would brief representatives of the Commonwealth realms about the funeral and succession plans surrounding Operation London Bridge. The governments of the Commonwealth realms were informed of the monarch's death from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Global Response Centre. These realms had devised their own plans for what happened in their respective countries in the days after Elizabeth II's death, which ran concurrently with Operation London Bridge.


Australia

Preparations were made in Australia for the death of the Queen, with statements having been already drafted for the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
and governor-general of Australia. The prime minister would be informed of the Queen's death approximately an hour prior to its formal announcement. The prime minister was to wear a black tie immediately after its announcement, with the staff of recent past prime ministers having carried a black tie in preparation for the news. The prime minister and governor-general would then return to Canberra to make their statements before departing for London with the
Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
. If not scheduled to sit, the
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
would be recalled to meet to pass a condolence motion. Plans had the governor-general issuing the Australian proclamation for the accession of King Charles III and his Australian titles at an appropriate ceremony. A flag notice was issued instructing flags to fly at half-mast immediately for the next ten days, except on the day the accession of Charles III is proclaimed. Part of Australia's response would include a national day of commemoration, which may be declared a public holiday. A state funeral and special Anglican service would be held. The
Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
organised several gun salutes coinciding with events in London and participated in ceremonies in the United Kingdom. The Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom observed the Accession Council. In addition, Australian members of the
Privy Council of the United Kingdom The Privy Council, formally His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a privy council, formal body of advisers to the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its members, known as privy counsellors, are mainly senior politicians who are curre ...
are entitled to sit on the Accession Council. As reported by ''
The Australian ''The Australian'', with its Saturday edition ''The Weekend Australian'', is a broadsheet daily newspaper published by News Corp Australia since 14 July 1964. As the only Australian daily newspaper distributed nationally, its readership of b ...
'' in 2022, four official Australian state guests were expected to attend the funeral in London, with an additional 12 Australians also being invited.


Canada

In Canada, preparations were made as early as 2002, during Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee. Consultations over the plans have been made with the
Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...
, the Canadian Privy Council Office, the
Canadian secretary to the Queen The Canadian secretary to the King () is the senior operational member of the royal household for the monarch of Canada, presently King Charles III. The office was established as Canadian secretary to the Queen in 1959. The present office holde ...
, the
Department of Canadian Heritage The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage (), is the department of the Government of Canada that has roles and responsibilities related to initiatives that promote and support "Canadian identity and values, cultural develo ...
, the office of the
governor general of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...
, and the office of the Earl Marshal in the United Kingdom. The federal government's planning for the death of the Queen was somewhat reliant on what was outlined in the ''Manual of Official Procedure of the Government of Canada'', a document produced by the Privy Council Office in 1968. In addition to the federal government, provincial governments have also implemented their own contingency plans for the death of the Queen, and the accession of Charles III. After receiving the news about the Queen's death, the governor general would recall the Cabinet to
Parliament Hill Parliament Hill (), colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern bank of the Ottawa River that houses the Parliament of Canada in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. It accommodates a suite of Gothic revival buildings whose ...
and proclaim that Canada has a new "lawful and rightful liege". The Privy Council for Canada had convened to proclaim Charles III in Canada. The ''Manual of Official Procedure of the Government of Canada'' states the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
is responsible for convening the Parliament, tabling a resolution of loyalty and condolence from the Parliament to the next
monarch of Canada The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is one of the key components of Canadian sovereignty and sits at the core of Canada's constitutional federal structure and Wes ...
, and arranging for the motion to be seconded by the leader of the Official Opposition. The Prime Minister would then move to adjourn Parliament. The Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom would be expected to represent Canada at the Accession Council. An official mourning period for Elizabeth II would take place, the length of said period to be determined by the federal government; and issued by the governor general and the Department of Canadian Heritage. During the mourning period, a national memorial parade and service would be held in Ottawa. Additionally, ceremonial maces, portraits of the Queen, and flagpoles at Government Houses across Canada were draped in black fabric. A book of condolences was to be laid out near the front entrance of the Government Houses, with previously planned events cancelled. The death of the sovereign is considered a mandatory half-masting event for the Canadian government. Flags on all federal buildings and establishments in Canada and abroad would be flown at half-mast from the notification of death until sunset on the day of the funeral or memorial service. Specific attire would be worn during the official mourning period. All staff of the governor general, provincial
lieutenant governors A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
, and territorial commissioners would be immediately issued black ties and black armbands. Other government officials would also wear a black armband. However, some legislative employees have to wear additional attire during the official mourning period. This includes the sergeants-at-arms, who are required to wear black gloves, piqué bow ties, and carry a black scabbard and sword; and pages, who are required to wear black cravats, armbands, and ribbons. The
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is the Canadian Public broadcasting, public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a Crown corporation that serves as the national public broadcaster, with its E ...
(CBC) maintained a regularly updated plan for the death of the sovereign, which was considered a "Broadcast of National Importance". Regular programming would be cancelled, advertisements were to be halted, and all CBC television and radio stations would shift to a 24-hour news format. The CBC also had a specially picked squad of broadcasters on call to come to the news desk at the time of the sovereign's death. Plans for the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; , GRC) is the Law enforcement in Canada, national police service of Canada. The RCMP is an agency of the Government of Canada; it also provides police services under contract to 11 Provinces and terri ...
(RCMP) to participate in the funeral procession in London were in place for decades. Originally, the
Crown Equerry The Crown Equerry is the operational head of the Royal Mews of the Royal Household of the Monarch, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As executive head of the Royal Mews Department, he is responsible for the provision of vehicular transport for the ...
had planned for the RCMP to use horses from the Household Cavalry. However, the plans were altered to have the RCMP use four horses they gifted to the Queen, after the RCMP had submitted a formal request to do so in 2021.


New Zealand

In New Zealand, the
Cabinet Office The Cabinet Office is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for supporting the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister and Cabinet ...
of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet was responsible for planning the arrangements in response to the
demise of the Crown Demise of the Crown is the legal term in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms for the transfer of the Crown upon the death or abdication of the monarch. The Crown transfers automatically to the monarch's heir. The concept evolved ...
. New Zealand was to receive the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death via established communication channels between the Royal Household and New Zealand. Once informed, the head of the
Ministry for Culture and Heritage The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH; ) is the department of the New Zealand Government responsible for supporting the Creative New Zealand, arts, Culture of New Zealand, culture, New Zealand Historic Places Trust, built heritage, Sport Ne ...
had to request the flying of the
flag of New Zealand The flag of New Zealand (), also known as the New Zealand Ensign, is based on the British maritime Blue Ensigna blue field with the Union Jack in the ''canton (flag), canton'' or upper hoist corneraugmented or ''Defacement (flag), defaced'' wit ...
at half-mast on government buildings and other chosen facilities up to the day of the funeral, excluding the date the new sovereign is proclaimed. Twenty-one gun salutes would also be ordered "at appropriate times". A state memorial service would be expected, although decisions on accompanying events, as well as government protocol, would be determined by the
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
. New Zealand Defence Force personnel would participate in overseas ceremonies.
Radio New Zealand Radio New Zealand (), commonly known as RNZ or Radio NZ, is a New Zealand public service broadcaster and Crown entity. Established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995, it operates news and current affairs station, RNZ National, and a classi ...
(RNZ), the state-radio broadcaster, prepared a set of guidelines and instructions regarding the death of the monarch of New Zealand. Across all RNZ stations, broadcasters would break into regular programming to announce the death of the Queen, with rolling coverage. RNZ stations were prohibited from playing
punk music Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
, or songs by the band
Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
during this period.


See also

* Operation Hope Not, funeral plan for Sir Winston Churchill *
State funerals in the United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, state funerals are usually reserved for monarchs. The most recent was the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022. A state funeral may also be held to honour a highly distinguished figure following the ...


References


External links


'London Bridge is down': the secret plan for the days after the Queen's death
from ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' {{Elizabeth II , state=collapsed 1960s neologisms Elizabeth II + Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II