The United Kingdom has been in mourning since Thursday night, when Buckingham Palace announced the death of Elizabeth II. While the British go to the Palace to salute the memory of their sovereign, who died at the age of 96 in the Scottish castle of Balmoral after 70 years of reign, the monarchy and the British government are busy organizing the many events planned for the next few days .
According to a detailed protocol entitled “Operation London Bridge”, put in place for years, the celebrations in tribute to the queen must last for ten days after her death. After the first speech of her son Carlos as sovereign, on Friday night, the precise program for the next few days is taking shape. Starting this Saturday with the proclamation of the new king.
- Saturday: Charles proclaimed
The one that the public knows as Prince Carlos becomes, at 73 years old, King Carlos III. By Thursday, the crowd was chanting “Long live the king!” in front of Buckingham Palace, and the British anthem God save the king in its masculinized version it was sung on Friday night at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, according to AFP. However, only this Saturday Carlos will be officially proclaimed king by the Accession Council.
The latter, made up of members of the royal family, Prime Minister Liz Truss and ministers of state, among others, will meet at 11:00 a.m. – French time – at the Saint-James Palace. The proclamation is expected to be read an hour later by David White, King of Arms of the Order of the Garter, on the palace balcony and then in the City opposite the Royal Exchange. Carlos III will receive the Prime Minister and the main ministers at 3:00 p.m., and in the afternoon Parliament will take a vote of fidelity and express its condolences.
- Sunday and Monday: Carlos’s trips
On Sunday, the Queen’s coffin will be transported from Balmoral Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. King Charles III will be proclaimed in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and will hold an audience with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The new sovereign will deliver a speech to the Scottish Parliament and a mass will be celebrated at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Scotland will pay tribute to the queen on Monday, with the procession of the queen’s coffin to St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. A religious ceremony will take place there, in the presence of the royal family. At the same time, in London, Parliament will meet in Westminster Hall to salute the memory of the monarch.
- Tuesday: arrival of the coffin in London
Only on Tuesday will the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II be transported to Buckingham Palace in London. Charles III will visit Hillsborough Castle, the official residence of the royal family in Northern Ireland, to receive condolences from Parliament. Mass will be celebrated in his presence at St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, Church of Ireland.
- Starting Wednesday, the public will gather in front of the coffin
On Wednesday, a procession will carry the queen’s coffin to Westminster Hall, where it will rest for four or five days. The public will be able to gather there 23 hours a day for several days, and the royal family should also come to pay their respects.
The following day, Carlos III will continue his tour of the United Kingdom: he will travel to Wales to meet Prime Minister Mark Drakeford there before giving a speech. On Friday they will return to London to receive the Commonwealth Heads of State.
- the queen’s funeral
The weekend of September 17 and 18 should mark a break in official events. as reported the parisian, tradition dictates that the sovereign’s funeral takes place ten days after his death. That should correspond to the 18th, but the sanctity of Sunday in the Church of England will undoubtedly force the monarchy to review its program.
Therefore, it is likely that the funeral of the former Queen of England will take place on Monday the 19th. The coffin will arrive at Westminster Abbey, London, followed by the Royal Family. The ceremony, in which 2,000 guests are expected, will be filmed.
At the end of the latter, a procession will carry the coffin to the Queen’s final resting place at Windsor Castle. She will be buried there privately in King George VI Chapel, a vault where her parents and her sister Margaret rest, according to the site. Real stories. There she will meet her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021 at the age of 99.
Source: BFM TV
