As Britain entered a time of national mourning and the reign of King Charles III, the death of Queen Elizabeth II put in motion a well organised sequence of ceremonial and legal formalities.
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The queen's last voyage to London and state funeral are covered under a well-established 10-day plan, codenamed Operation London Bridge.
Here is a glimpse of what will occur in the next few days:
Sunday, Sept. 11
- Six of the estate's gamekeepers carried the queen's oak casket from Scotland's Balmoral Castle to a seven-vehicle entourage. After that, it was gently driven to Edinburgh, travelling through rural Scottish towns and villages.
- Along the trip, people paid their respects by gathering in large numbers in Edinburgh and along rural roads. The Scottish capital's Palace of Holyroodhouse is where it spends the night.
- Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all recognised Charles as their new monarch.
- The new king welcomed ambassadors from the 14 other Commonwealth nations where he is the king during a reception in London.
Monday, Sept. 12
- The House of Commons and the House of Lords will send their sympathies to King Charles II and Camilla, the Queen Consort, during their visit to Parliament.
- The royal pair then takes a flight to Edinburgh, where they attend the queen's memorial ceremony, tour the Scottish Parliament, and meet with top government leaders.
- The king and queen consort will accompany the queen's coffin as it is transported to Edinburgh's St. Giles' Cathedral, where it will remain for 24 hours so that people may pay their respects. In the evening, members of the royal family will keep vigil around the casket.
Tuesday Sept. 13
- A hearse transports the queen's casket to the airport in Edinburgh. The Royal Air Force will fly it to London and deliver it to Buckingham Palace.
- The king and Camilla will travel to Northern Ireland, where they will meet with religious and political figures and take part in a memorial ceremony at St. Anne's Cathedral.
Wednesday, Sept. 14
- The king and other royals follow the gun carriage carrying the coffin from Buckingham Palace to Parliament.
- It is situated in the historic Westminster Hall of Parliament, where the archbishop of Canterbury leads a brief service. Then, during the next four days, up to the morning of her burial, the queen would lay in state. The general public will be allowed to pay their condolences, and soldiers will maintain a 24-hour vigil.
Friday, Sept. 16
- The king and queen consort will visit Wales.
Monday, Sept. 19
- For a state funeral that starts at 11 a.m., the queen's casket will be transported from Westminster Hall to neighbouring Westminster Abbey. International leaders and dignitaries are anticipated to attend.
- The funeral concludes ten days of national morning, and the next day will be a holiday across the U.K.
(With inputs from PTI)
