Do govt employee find out early about the Queen’s death?

[Ginandpink]

My brother said they were told early, doesn’t make sense?

Harry clearly did not want to be papped, sat in the middle of car to try to avoid it.

Its not about 'knowing early', there are people who need to be informed before the palace make a formal announcement, its just a formality, it doesnt mean people are not to know or wont know or shouldnt know before the formal announcement, its just the process before the formal final notification can be released by the palace

The list of people who have to be informed first will inevitably involve that being filtered down to others within those departments or organisations, like the media, like security/police but obviously not everyone

Then they are free to release the formal notification.

Well I work in arguably the most pertinent department in the Met and although there was obviously a great deal of activity among the SLT this afternoon I wasn’t told directly until about 45 minutes before the announcement. ( I’m not senior so there’s no reason I would be told specifically but I will be involved in events over the next 10 days)

@Octomore ok - all the family that were on their way there.

Quite impressive so many knew she died before she did. It's a bit like the announcement of her death put out by mistake a few years ago.

He told you he was officially informed.

Just because he told you that doesn’t mean it’s true

So many people are claiming to have been told but haven’t. They made a fairly safe assumption.

my colleague said at about 3pm she has died, no insider info just an educated guess based on media.

????

Only two days ago she met Liz Truss!!

If anything being in transit between Aberdeen Airport and Balmoral JUST after the announcement would take the heat off Harry.

Remember William, Andrew, Sophie and Edward were papped at the airport and in the car. The BBC posted a fairly intrusive photo of the all in the car, just as they arrived at Balmoral.

They may well have told Harry en route and decision made to go ahead. For his sake.

If the media was focused on the announcement they couldn't be focused on Harry arriving alone.

I think Harry must have known at that point. If Harry felt he was shafted over the timing of the public announcement, I'm sure we will find out fairly quickly.

My OH is in a role where he would be informed.

He didn't and hasn't said anything to me but I suspect he knew from mid afternoon when I read back our texts this afternoon. But he won't tell me anything so there's no point me asking.

*He told you he was officially informed.

Just because he told you that doesn’t mean it’s true

So many people are claiming to have been told but haven’t. They made a fairly safe assumption.*

No, he said on Wapp.

"Died. We've been told. "

And yes, he might have been lying etc etc But then you think every one is lying. 🙄

I was watching the BBC and around 6.25. Nick whitchell said " it's nearly 6.30"
The way he said it my husband ad I both said OK it's bein announced at 6 30

@Andromachehadabadday

As far as I was concerned I knew at that point.

I don't understand why people doubt that many were aware long before the announcement. It was clear to me in the early afternoon she had already died or it was extremely imminent and I don't work in anything related to government or protocols.

Loving all the "my DH is military" types who apparently knew before the Prime Minister.

Broadcasters don't get much of a heads up these days because the more who know, the more likely it would end up on social media before the official announcement. But it was obvious from the statement and the events of the afternoon that she was gravely ill and not expected to get better. It's a shame that many of the family didn't make it in time but it seems that Charles and Anne were there at least.

@Doyoumind Same. When I saw reports of the whole family headed to Balmoral I figured it out pretty quickly.

I'm a civil servant and we weren't told earlier.

I think Nicholas Witchell gave it away when he said to look at the pic of Edward & Sophie.

Death is a process, and it may have been clear to the medics that she was at the end of life.

I think it was clear by lunch they didn't expect her to make it through the day.

When the Royal Fam started to gather, that confirmed it, along with Huw Edwards black tie and BBC scheduling changes.

It may be that some agencies had more clues than others. I was utterly convinced once I saw, the sombre tone on the BBC this afternoon.

I think people whose claims seem very odd. As in someone working in a job where he needs to know or part of protocol, behind told far earlier, is likely to be bullshit.

’Died. We have just been told’

I have a conversation with my Boss where he said ‘I am telling you she has died’, our company and MD has close ties to WM.

So does that mean I had just been told? He doesn’t even say who by in the message you are quoting.

I think Nicholas Witchell gave it away when he said to look at the pic of Edward & Sophie.

God yes that was odd. But I think they were just scrambling round for anything to say at that point.

anon666

Agreed

But you didn’t. You have no clue where that had come from.

It was a really reasonable assumption that she had died when the family were rushing there and all the other things were happening.

But you cling on to the ‘oh I know people that protocol was broken for, but also have no idea how to keep something to themselves, so I knew early’ if that makes you feel special.

My husband is convinced they knew the queen had passed during the house of commons.

They did and where told to bring in full uniform tomorrow.