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This Is What Will Happen

Now That Queen Elizabeth
Has Passed Away
Operation LONDON BRIDGE has
been in the works for years.

BY ROSA SANCHEZ / PUBLISHED: SEP 8, 2022

CHRIS JACKSON // GETTY IMAGES

T
he entire royal family rushed to
Queen Elizabeth's side today as
doctors supervised the
monarch's health. Buckingham Palace
con>rmed in a statement this morning
that doctors were "concerned" for Her
Majesty, and hours later, sadly con>rmed
her death.

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Reporters and mourners dressed in all

black have since surrounded Balmoral
Castle, the monarch's residence in
Scotland, where she passed.

Ahead, everything we know about

Operation LONDON BRIDGE, the United
Kingdom government's multistep plan
for what is to be done now that Queen
Elizabeth II has passed away.

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""

D-Day
Immediately upon the queen's death, her
private secretary will reportedly call the
prime minister to inform her of the
news, perhaps with the message,
"London Bridge is down," per documents
obtained by Politico.

The royal household will issue an official

statement informing the staff, civil
servants, and the public of the queen's
death, and the news will be announced
via an alert on the Press Association
wire.

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Then, Uags across Whitehall will be

lowered to half-mast—ideally within 10
minutes, Politico reported. The Ministry
of Defence will arrange for gun salutes to
take place, and a national minute of
silence will be announced. A service of
remembrance will also be arranged at
London's St. Paul's Cathedral.

The prime minister will be the >rst

member of the government to make a
statement on the death. Then, the PM
will hold an audience with Prince
Charles, who will deliver a broadcast to
the nation.

The royal family's website will be

changed to a black background, with a
small message con>rming the queen's
death, and the U.K. government website
will display a black banner, as will all
government departmental social media
pages.

Internally, the day of the queen's passing

will be referred to as "D-Day," and each
day after, until the funeral—which will
take place on day 10—will be referred to
as "D+1," "D+2," et cetera.

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D-Day+1
The morning after Queen Elizabeth's
death, Charles will be sworn in as the
new sovereign by the Accession Council.

D-Day+2
The queen's coffin will be carried to
Buckingham Palace.

If she dies at Balmoral Castle, in

Scotland, where she currently is,
Operation UNICORN will be activated,
per Politico, meaning her coffin will be
transported to London via royal train. If
that is not possible, Operation
OVERSTUDY will come into effect, and
the coffin will instead be transported by
plane. The prime minister and ministers
will welcome it upon arrival.

There is an entirely different plan if she

were to pass away at Sandringham.

D-Day+3–D-Day+5
Charles will receive the motion of
condolence at Westminster Hall and later
start his tour of the United Kingdom as
its new monarch.

When he arrives in Northern Ireland, he

will attend a service at St. Anne's
Cathedral in Belfast. Meanwhile, a
rehearsal will take place ahead of
Operation LION, when the queen's coffin
will be carried from Buckingham Palace
to the Palace of Westminster.

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A service will be held in Westminster

Hall upon the coffin's arrival.

D-Day+6–D-Day+9
Queen Elizabeth II will lie in state at
Westminster Hall in the Palace of
Westminster for three days in what is
being called Operation FEATHER. For 23
hours per day, visitors will be able to pay
their respects. Tickets will be issued to
VIPs for designated time slots.

Charles will travel to Wales to receive

another motion of condolence and
attend a service at Liandaff Cathedral in
Cardiff ahead of the queen's funeral,
which will take place the following day.

How old is Queen

Elizabeth?
The monarch, born on April 21, 1926, is
96 years old.

How long has Queen

Elizabeth reigned?
The queen >rst ascended the throne in
February 1952. This year, she celebrated
her Platinum Jubilee, officially marking
70 years of her reign. She is the longest-
reigning monarch in British history.

Who is next in line to the

throne?
Following her death, the queen's eldest
son, Prince Charles, will become king.
See a more detailed breakdown of the
line of succession here.

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