Operation London Bridge: The Secret Plan For The Days After The Queen’s Death

After Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Sept. 8, the royal family has a plan dating back to the 1960s. The plan, titled Operation London Bridge, outlines what will happen following the monarch’s death in the United Kingdom. After her death was publicly announced, the UK will mourn for the next 10 days as arrangements are made for her funeral. Westminster Abbey will hold her state funeral before she is moved to Windsor Castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel for her final resting place.

Here’s everything to know about Operation London Bridge.

The Protocols has been activated

While the protocols for her eventual passing are set and activated, it does not remove the melancholy one would feel now that this day actually came. Queen Elizabeth has been the monarch leading the United Kingdom for so long that when she does eventually say goodbye, it will change how the country’s people see the royal family.

There is one certain thing, her legacy will live long past her passing.

Preliminary stage: Queen is at the end

Another part of the protocol would be when the Queen’s doctor thinks the Queen is at the end. This is what happened, and the close family members were invited to say goodbye to the queen in her last hours.

This exact situation happened back in 2002 when the Queen Mother was passing.

Morning news

Should Queen Elizabeth pass away overnight, the news will break that morning and protocol will begin. The first to be notified will be her family, followed by the public. The morning of the announcement will begin a day of mourning that will surely be felt throughout the United Kingdom.

The days of mourning will continue for several days. When she passes and her servants are called in, the protocol calls this action “London Bridge is down”.

Protocol names

The whole of the protocol, once Queen Elizabeth passes, is called Operation London Bridge. As her majesty ascended the throne in the 1950s, these protocols were initially put into place in the 1960s so as to make sure that there was something in place in case something would happen to call for it.

Over the course of her reign, these protocols have been edited to fit the times more suitably. Each protocol for each royal had a code name, George VI’s was called Hyde Park Corner, while the Queen Mother’s was Tay Bridge. It will be the Queen’s doctor who will confirm her passing.