On Thursday, September eighth, 2022, at 4:30 pm GMT, Queen Elizabeth the second died peacefully at Balmoral Palace. With world news as major as this, many people are wondering what will happen to the monarchy now that there is no Queen of England, and it just so happens that the British government knows exactly what to do. The plan is Called Operation London Bridge, and lays out exactly what will happen once the queen dies. Leaked to the public last fall, it has detailed plans for what the ten days after the queen dies will look like.

The very first thing to happen is that the royal household will inform the public about the queen’s death. Major news stations like the BBC will immediately start reporting on the death, and the BBC logo will turn black in honor of her majesty. All of the flags will fly half staff in Britain, and the new King Charles III will deliver a small speech that day. The day after will include a 96 round gun salute (how old the queen was when she died), and both houses of parliament will delay their starts until noon. St. Pauls Cathedral will also hold a prayer service for Elizabeth.

In the first week after her death, the new King Charles III will swear by oath to uphold the continuity of the government, and members of parliament will take an oath of allegiance to the new king. The queen’s body will also be brought from Scotland to Buckingham Palace, where a ceremonial procession will carry her body to Westminster. There the queen will stay in Westminster for three days, in which the public will be able to visit her almost the entire day. King Charles III will also go and visit each of the leaders of the UK in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales during this time.

On the tenth day after the queen’s death, a funeral service is held at Westminster Abbey, with two minutes of honorary silence. The queen will then be buried in the castle grounds, next to her husband, Prince Philip. All of this will wrap up what we know as Operation London Bridge according to npr.org, although some of these details may be changed, and some things may be added.

As of right now, much of this plan has come to pass, as King Charles III has taken the throne, BBC has the black logo, and flags have been flown half staff. The queen’s coffin is currently resting in Edinburgh, at St. Giles Cathedral, and is open to the public for mourners to come and pay their respects to the monarch. King Charles III has also now given an address after being proclaimed king by the Accession Council on September tenth.

Aside from what will happen with the queen in the future, right now citizens and leaders of prominent countries around the world are sending their regards to the UK. The White House sent its regards on the day she died, and announced that the capitol flags would be flown at half staff. Other leaders such as Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau, and France’s president Emmanuel Macron also expressed concern and sadness about the queen’s death, with Justin Trudeau stating “Her Majesty vowed to devote her life to the service of the Commonwealth and its people. On behalf of all Canadians, I thank Queen Elizabeth II for honouring this vow and for a lifetime of service”.

While nothing about the future is certain, as the longest standing British monarch ever, and perhaps one of the most loved, Queen Elizabeth II will leave a massive impact on the UK, and the world itself. Having lived through fifteen prime ministers, thirteen U.S. presidents, World War 2, and the deaths of many other royals, most will agree that Queen Elizabeth lived a long, deserving life, loved by millions.