Queen Elizabeth Has Died: What Happens Next?

 Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday at 96, ending the longest reign in British history. U.K. officials and the royal family will begin what is reportedly known as “Operation London Bridge,” a series of procedures for when the Queen dies that have been in place for years. However, since the Queen died at Balmoral in Scotland, “Operation Unicorn” will also begin.

When announcing Queen Elizabeth’s death, the royal family already referred to Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall as the “King and Queen Consort.” They will remain at Balmoral before returning to London on Friday. No date for Charles’ coronation is set. Queen Elizabeth’s coronation was over a year after her father, King George VI, died in February 1952.

King Charles has already issued his first statement on his mother’s death. He called this the “greatest sadness” for him and the rest of his family. “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother,” he wrote. “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms, and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.” He said the family will be “comforted and sustained” by knowing the “respect and deep affection” in which so many held the Queen.

If the royal family follows what is known about Operation Unicorn, her coffin will be taken to the Palace at Holyroodhouse, where it will temporarily rest, reports The Guardian. There is also expected to be a ceremonial procession on the Royal Mile to St. Giles’s Cathedral, where the royal family will attend a service. The Queen will lie at rest for 24 hours, and the public will be allowed to view her casket. The casket will next be taken to Edinburgh Waverly station to travel on the Royal Train to London St. Pancras International Station. It will then be taken to Buckingham Palace before a ceremonial procession in London. 

Back in 2017, The Guardian reported that Queen Elizabeth’s death would trigger plans known as Operation London Bridge. The prime minister, now Prime Minister Liz Truss, would be woken up if she wasn’t already awake to be told the news. Civil servants would announce “London Bridge is down” on secure lines. The Foreign Office’s Global Response Centre would send work out to the other governments that have Queen Elizabeth as head of state and the members of the Commonwealth. In the nine days after the Queen’s death, there will be more proclamations issued and King Charles will visit all four countries of the U.K.

Other steps revealed in The Guardian‘s reporting have already begun. The Royal Family’s website is now just a single black page with an image from Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. It includes the simple statement Buckingham Palace also tweeted. “The official website of the Royal Family is temporarily unavailable while appropriate changes are made,” a message reads. BBC news anchors have also worn black ties and black suits while announcing the Queen’s death.