Queen Elizabeth served as the monarch for seven decades, which means she already witnessed the death of other kings that came before her. So, even before her death, Her Majesty already had three different state funeral plans in the event that she passed away. They are called Operation Unicorn, Operation London Bridge, and Operation Overstudy, and they have some key differences.
Operation Unicorn Was Employed Following Queen Elizabeth’s Death
According to Radar Online, Operation Unicorn was put in place following Queen Elizabeth’s death because she passed away in Balmoral.
Operation Unicorn means that the queen’s coffin will be taken by RoyalTrain to rest in state at Edinburgh’s Holyrood Place. From there, her coffin will be transported to St. Giles Cathedrals where members of the royal family can pay their final respects.
While at St. Giles Cathedral, the queen’s family is also expected to hold a vigil by her coffin also known as the Vigil of the Princes.
Later on, the queen’s coffin will once again board the royal train and her remains will be placed inside Buckingham Palace’s throne room. This is where Operation London Bridge would begin.
Operation London Bridge And Operation Overstudy Are Two Other State Funerals Planned For Queen Elizabeth’s Death
If the queen didn’t die in Balmoral, Operation London Bridge would’ve been automatically put in place after her passing. The code “London bridge has fallen” will reportedly be used, according to Daily Mail.
Before the public learns of the queen’s passing, the information will first be shared with UK broadcasters via an official notification. After which, a script would’ve been read by broadcasters announcing the queen’s passing.
Another secret plan called Operation Overstudy would’ve come into play if the officials decided to transport the queen’s coffin to London by plane and land in the Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Northolt.
The queen will lay in state inside Buckingham Palace for three days before a funeral procession to Westminster Abbey takes place. Her funeral will take place 10 days after her death.
There were also reports that the royal family’s official website would go black following the queen’s demise. But upon checking, the website is filled with articles and special tributes for Her Majesty.
Queen Elizabeth Died In Balmoral With Prince Charles And Princess Anne By Her Side
Hours before the queen passed away, she was joined by Prince Charles and Princess Anne in Balmoral. The siblings were with her when she took her last breath.
Prior to her death, a statement from the palace was released saying that the monarch’s doctors were concerned for her health.
“Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the statement read (via Business Insider).
But they also stressed that Her Majesty was comfortable.
Even though a few days have already passed, members of the royal family and royal fans are still struggling to cope with the queen’s death. And it seems it will take some time before everyone moves on from her passing.
Check back for more stories and updates about Queen Elizabeth here at EpicStream!
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