The plan, snippets of which were first reported by The Guardian in 2017 and later by Politico in 2021, includes guidance on major logistical issues, including how the death announcement will be communicated, what happens to the body and procedures for the funeral procession 10 days later.
It also covers granular details, such as ensuring that flags are lowered to half staff within 10 minutes of government officials’ being notified, and banning retweets among some government Twitter accounts unless cleared by the communications chief, according to Politico.
It is known as the “London Bridge” plan; the prime minister will be alerted to the queen’s death by civil servants saying on secure lines that “London Bridge is down,” according to The Guardian. When the death announcement is made public, a notice will be simultaneously placed on a board at the gates of the monarch’s official residence, Buckingham Palace, and posted to the royal family’s website and social media accounts.
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