United Kingdom Prime Minister, Liz Truss has announced the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday evening.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, has been on the throne for 70 years.
As the longest-reigning monarch in British history, her death will result in many changes.
The national anthem, passports, police uniforms, and even money will need to be updated.
Queen Elizabeth II is 96 years old. Most British people have never known life without the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. She is 96 and has reigned for 70 years after ascending the throne in 1952.
For at least 12 days after her death, Britain will grind to a halt, potentially costing the UK economy billions in lost earnings.
But it’s not just the economy. Prince Charles may change his name and the words of the national anthem will be updated as well.
Buckingham Palace has long planned for the days following the Queen’s death. The operation was reportedly nicknamed “London Bridge.”
Inside Buckingham Palace, arrangements for after the Queen’s death and the subsequent succession were codenamed “London Bridge,” according to documents obtained by Politico.
The detailed plan reportedly included a “call cascade” to alert Britain’s leaders of the queen’s death. The prime minister, the cabinet secretary, and the Privy Council Office were all to be informed, followed by an official public notification.
According to The Daily Beast, plans have long been in place to announce the Queen’s death at 8 a.m. in the event that she dies overnight.
Most staff members at the palace will be sent home.
The royal court has a staff hotline for distributing news and instructions to employees in case of a major event.
Most staff members at the palace and associated institutions will be immediately sent home once the announcement has been made, a former staff member of the palace told Insider.
There will be an outpouring of condolences from around the world.
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Given Britain’s global presence through its embassies, former colonies, and the Commonwealth (which swears loyalty to the crown), the Queen’s death will be a top news story around the world.
The immediate official government response in the UK — beyond the expected statements of condolences — will be harder to predict, the former palace employee Insider spoke to said.
The last death of a monarch was in 1952; procedures that seemed apt then may be woefully antiquated in the 21st century. Mourners wore black armbands to show respect for King George VI, for example, but similar public displays of mourning may not be employed today.
Flags will be flown at half-mast until 8 a.m. the day after the funeral, according to guidance from the Greater London Lieutenancy, with the exception of Proclamation Day (more on that shortly). Churches may also toll their bells to mark the day of the Queen’s death or the day after.
The day of the funeral will be declared a bank holiday.
Many businesses in the UK will close.
The London Stock Exchange is likely to close if the announcement happens during working hours, and other businesses may, too.
Following Princess Diana’s death in 1997, The Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland wrote that many Britons felt “forced to close their shops or cancel sporting events on the day of the funeral, lest they feel the rage of the tear-stained hordes outside.”
Given the Queen’s stature and how intrinsically she was woven into the fabric of modern Britain, there is likely to be even greater public mourning for her passing.
The protocols government bodies will follow will emanate from the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport (though they may also originate from the palace).
Britain’s overseas outposts will also be in mourning.
A former ambassador Insider spoke to said overseas posts will look to the Foreign Office for urgent guidance.
Social functions will be canceled and the Union Flag will be flown at half-mast until after the funeral, just like in the UK. Officials will enter a period of mourning and dress appropriately. Condolence books will be prepared for visitors to leave messages.
But the ambassador also stressed that there is a lot of uncertainty about what will actually happen, as it has been so long since the death of a British monarch.
Behind closed doors at the palace, an “Accession Council” will convene.
Once most staff members are out of the way and the public tourist attractions are closed, an Accession Council will be held at St. James’s Palace to formally declare the successor: Prince Charles, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
The Accession Council will be attended by privy councillors, lords, the lord mayor of the city of London, and high commissioners of certain Commonwealth countries, among others.
This council is not required, however, to make Queen Elizabeth II’s successor “official,” as Charles will become the monarch from the moment of her death. There is never not a sovereign on the throne. This is also why the Royal Standard is never flown at half-mast, unlike the Union Flag.
Prince William is not going to become king.
William will become the new Prince of Wales, Charles’ current role.
Charles has waited and prepared for this job for his entire life. He is in his 70s, which is past the British age of retirement.
“Impatient? Me? What a thing to suggest! Yes of course I am,” he said in 2012, according to The Telegraph. “I’ll run out of time soon. I shall have snuffed it if I’m not careful.”
