Queen Elizabeth II has died: What occurs subsequent?

Nothing has been left to likelihood concerning the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, which was confirmed on Thursday afternoon.

The main points of what occurs subsequent have been deliberate out years, even many years upfront, and protocol dictates a strict timetable of occasions, a proper sequence of ceremonies and procedures that ought to unfold solemnly however seamlessly. 

Upon her demise, Prince Charles turns into king — he shall be often called King Charles III — and the senior palace official who’s in control of succession planning informs Britain’s new prime minister Liz Truss with the codewords “London Bridge is down”. The information is then despatched globally to the nations the place the Queen was head of state, and to different Commonwealth nations. 

“Charles was king instantly. The succession is instantaneous. The second one monarch’s coronary heart stops beating, the subsequent particular person in line takes over,” mentioned Professor Andrew Blick from King’s School London, a senior adviser at The Structure Society. 

The remainder of the world discover out in a newsflash despatched by Britain’s Press Affiliation, however even on this time of on the spot communication, a footman in mourning garments posted a discover on black-edged paper outdoors Buckingham Palace. 

Now there shall be 9 days of fastidiously choreographed occasions, together with the recall of each homes of parliament in Britain, and a tour of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire by Charles, who will make his first tackle as head of state on the night of his mom’s demise. 

Flags throughout Britain shall be lowered to half employees, and church bells will toll. On the primary day after the Queen’s demise these flags will go up once more, and at 11 am Charles shall be proclaimed king, and swear oaths.

“It is a giant occasion, it is a historic occasion, and I believe if from the perspective of the monarchy though it is not a celebration political position, the monarch herself was an essential determine.

“She was a focus for the nation, and offered a impartial dimension to the structure, to the entire system, and Queen Elizabeth II was thought to be being a supply of stability for the nation and for the opposite nations the place the monarch is head of state,” Professor Blick informed Euronews. 

The beginning of 9 days of ceremonies

For the reason that Queen died in Balmoral, there are a number of Scottish traditions and rituals to look at. Her physique will first be taken to the palace at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and from there the coffin shall be taken up the Royal Mile, to St Giles’s cathedral for a church service earlier than being placed on board the Royal Practice at Edinburgh’s Waverley station certain for London. Crowds are anticipated to assemble alongside the route, at degree crossings and on station platforms. 

Ultimately, the Queen’s physique will return to Buckingham Palace, the place a army guard of honour will stand subsequent to the coffin within the throne room. 4 days after her demise, the coffin will transfer to Westminster Corridor to lie in state for one more 4 days.

Her funeral, precisely 9 days after her demise, shall be an enormous event with dignitaries, mourners, pageantry and huge crowds of as much as one million folks anticipated because the coffin makes its method by London previous historic landmarks, with army salutes from Hyde Park. 

“Her funeral I think about shall be on a bigger scale than Prince Philip, that’s clear. And there shall be public demand. It’ll clearly be a serious world media and diplomatic occasion. Heads of state from all around the world shall be coming and it is going to be a giant deal,” mentioned Professor Blick.

A muffled Huge Ben will chime in sombre tones, and the coffin will arrive at Westminster Abbey at precisely 11 am. 

After the service, the coffin will depart the Abbey and be placed on a gun carriage, the identical one which was used on the funeral of the Queen’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather and pulled by greater than 100 junior sailors from the Royal Navy – a practice that goes again to the funeral of Queen Victoria in 1901. 

The gun carriage will make its method by London, previous throngs of mourners, to Hyde Park Nook, the place the coffin shall be transferred to a automotive and pushed to Windsor Citadel, the place British sovereigns are laid to relaxation. 

Though Charles will already be king, he is not going to be formally topped till later, maybe in 2023. 

“The timing for a coronation just isn’t proscribed, however as an illustration Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne in 1952 and the coronation was the subsequent yr,” mentioned The Structure Society’s Professor Andrew Blick.

“That you must prepare for a coronation, and permit an inexpensive time to cross after the funeral to plan and put together for it.”