If the Queen passes what will happen?

[CanThisBe]

Regardless of your view in the RF, the Queen has been a huge figure nationally and worldwide for a really long time, her death is going to have an impact.

In terms of immediate impact on ordinary members of the public what will happen?

A period of national mourning? What does that mean?

Schools closed? For the funeral?

Sporting fixtures cancelled?

Things like that, or will it all be business as usual with silences used as appropriate respect?

There is a plan, I think it's called 'London Bridge is down' (code name). I expect there'll be a massive impact. I'm fully expecting the tributes to be as big as Diana or more.

Operation London Bridge. There’s a good Guardian article about it (and probably others) if you google.

I bet that Guardian article has had millions of views today!

Operation London Bridge has its own Wikipedia page. Lots of details on there too.

Good point. Will they shut the whole country down? I'm going on holiday to England next week and I've booked things to do.

no of course not!

Things like events at royal parks will cancel, theatres will dim lights and play the national anthem, tv scheduling will change. Everything else will continue as normal.

As she is in Scotland it will be Operation Unicorn not Operation London Bridge

pressed send too early, they would run alongside operation London Bridge whilst she is in Scotland, when her body leaves Scotland then Operation London Bridge it is.

If it happens it will be
The Queen is dead
Long live the King

flags at half mast and official mourning
nothing much else before the funeral it won’t affect everyday life.

Then the Coronation of King Charles 111 some time in the future

There will be an official period of morning with bank holiday/day off for the funeral and the same for Charles's coronation and probably the same for Williams investment as Prince of Wales.
And lost of crap on the TV think the Duke of Edinburgh but 1000× worse

Both will be, actually.

Operation Unicorn will deal with the expected influx of tourists to Scotland, for example, amongst other things.

London Bridge deals with everything else.

When the announcement is made, Westminster Parliament and Holyrood will cease all political action. This is so the authorities can make plans for State Funeral and so on.

The Prime Minister will make a statement and no other politician will be allowed to do so until then.

Prince Charles then addresses the nation. The day after the Queen's passing, the UK Government has to declare Charles as King. His coronation won't be for ages yet.

Statements will follow from various politicians.

Businesses WILL close for the day of the funeral.

according to my friend (and god knows where she gets her information from) there will be an announcement at 6pm

@latesummervibes I've just heard this too

DH works for the Beeb. There is regular training on what needs to happen when she passes. It’s a whole thing.

There have been a few threads about this - there's a well prepared plan

I'll see if I can find any of them (several weren't in The Royal Family topic, so in the absence of an adequate 'search' function, they might not be easy to find)

What do you mean 'if'?

I'm more thinking about how individuals and businesses might respond rather than the official response. Or more specifically, I'm due to meet old friends in the pub in Central London on Saturday and wondering how that would be affected. Travel disruption? Pub shut?

I think she has already passed away. I think just waiting for the family to get there. That's my thoughts.

Same.

@sparklecement and @newbiename l think you’re both right.

I’m fairly sure the pub will be open. Probably with a tv on with non stop tributes, but there’s nothing quite like a state event to bring out the need for a public drinking session ime.
Unless your friends are William and Kate, in which case all bets are off.
I hope you get to enjoy your trip, regardless. Might be a fascinating time to visit the Uk, if the worst does happen.
I also think she’s already gone and they’re holding off for the 6pm news.

I think the world has changed since George Vi died - and also, businesses can't afford any more closures! But no doubt there will still be lots of event cancellations.

Military family, and over the years I've known a lot of people who have worked on the various iterations of the plan.

They have to inform family (ideally before news breaks) then there's briefings for those who will have key roles in making formal announcements to UK and to all the countries where she's head of state. Then FCDO gets to inform other global leaders.

Broadcasters will be warned, and told the time of the public announcement when that has been determined.

Lots of other people need to be informed (not sure how that's time round the public announcement).

IIRC, if at Balmoral, the Queen will remain there briefly, then be taken to lie in state at Holyrood, then be transported (RAF) to London, where she will lie in state until the state funeral.

There will be formal mourning for all organisations that are governmental, Parliament will recess and first day back will be tributes.

Not sure how extensive closures for mourning will be - British broadcasters will have subdued broadcasting (plus lots of documentaries and retrospectives)

Also it's not operation London Bridge unless she passes away when in England. If she passes at Balmoral it's operation Unicorn.