What Happens When the Queen Dies
2022 marks the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne, but recent ailing health has raised questions about the future
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On February 6th 2022, Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years as the reigning head of the UK and Commonwealth. The people of Britain will celebrate her anniversary in early June with a four day bank holiday weekend — but due to declining health it is uncertain if Her Majesty will attend any of the planned festivities or public events.
Since the death of Prince Phillip in April 2021, Elizabeth’s health has declined. In October 2021 she spent a night in hospital for preliminary health checks, in November she canceled a number of engagements due to a sprained back. In February 2022 she tested positive for Covid-19. In recent months it has been reported that the 95-year old monarch uses a wheelchair in private, and she has been seen using a walking stick during her rare public appearances. It has been rumoured that she no longer has the ability to walk her beloved corgis.
The news of her ailing health has left the people of Britain, and beyond, concerned that she may soon depart this world. It led to false statements made online that she had passed away in February 2022, and there is even a popular conspiracy theory that her death has occurred and is being covered up until a more appropriate time.
Elizabeth II has been the reigning monarch, our Queen and figurehead, for the entirety of most British peoples lives. Her failing health and possible death is a big deal — even to those of us who don’t necessarily support the monarchy. These events have left a lot of people wondering; what happens when she dies?
London bridge is down
Plans for the Queen’s death have been in place since the 1960s, commonly known as Operation London Bridge¹. The announcement of her death and the days that follow have been set out in exact detail, down to the minute.
The Prime Minister of the UK will be one of the first people informed outside of the Royal Family and high level palace staff. The Queen’s private secretary will call the Prime Minister and utter the words “London bridge is down.” — the code phrase associated with Her Majesty’s death. The news will then be given to the governments outside of the UK where the Queen is head of state, along with the governments of the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. All of this will be done via secure lines from an undisclosed location¹.
For a brief time, she will be gone without the world knowing it.
The news will be delivered to the Press Association and the rest of the world’s media at the exact same moment that the notice of her death is posted on the gates of Buckingham Palace¹.
The BBC will cease all programming across TV and radio as the announcement is made to the public via a system that dates back to the Cold War¹. The national anthem will play, and the Royal standard will light up our screens. Flags will fall and bells will ring out across Britain.
The nation will enter a period of mourning which will culminate with the Queen’s funeral, held 10 days after her death.
In the days between death and burial the Queen will rest within the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace before being taken to Westminster Abbey where she will lie in state. Up to half a million people are expected to line the streets as they wait to pay their respects to a woman they never met.
During this time of national loss the British people will have a new King.
God save our gracious King
While the world loses a Queen — an icon regardless of your views on hereditary monarchy — the people of the United Kingdom will become subjects of a new ruler.
The moment Elizabeth dies, Charles will be King. Those privileged enough to be present at this moment will kiss his hand and the responsibility of monarchical leadership will pass to him. The day after the Queen dies, Charles will be officially proclaimed as King by the Accession Council and British parliament will gather so MPs can swear their Oaths of Allegiance to the new monarch.
This time of nationwide grief will also be the start of a new era for the British monarchy.
Elizabeth represents a connection to the past — to a place of pride and a sense of gallantry, to a country that fought and bled to survive. To an Empire. She symbolizes duty, stability, and unwavering dedication delivered with timeless grace.
When Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1952 she brought the energy and vigour of her 26 years, a young family, and the love of a nation. Charles is already into his 70s, a man who is associated more often with scandal than stability, and whose children are more popular than him.
According to a recent survey almost half of Brits (42%) believe Charles should step aside for his son, William. This may have nothing to do with belief in Charles’ ability to be a good ruler, but rather that the British people would prefer a younger, more relatable King that could offer the sense of permanence that the nation will lack upon the death of Elizabeth.
As we lose that bond to the past greatness of our nation through the mother-like figure of the Queen, the British people may begin to question the necessity of the monarchy as a whole if left dissatisfied with an aging, problematic King.
Recent scandals and drama within the Royal Family have left opinions about the monarchy divided. From Prince Andrew’s links to Jeffrey Epstein, subsequent sexual assault case and eventual $16 million settlement, to Prince Harry and Meghan’s exit from royal life and resurfacing rumours that Prince William cheated on his wife, it seems the younger generation of royals is failing to maintain the image of dignified majesty exemplified by Elizabeth II.
Every action and every rumour adds to the scale of Royal approval within the hearts and minds of the British people, and for decades the reliable certainty of the Queen’s presence has kept the balance in her family’s favour.
The service of my love
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will epitomise Royal tradition and the theatrical nature of the British monarchy. It will involve thousands of people, countless hours of planning and preparation, and every movement will be practised until perfect.
Most businesses will close, the majority of people will be given the day off from work, and nearly everyone will watch the final procession of our country’s matriarch. Patriotism will be at a high on that day as the people line the streets to pay their respects, bonded as we display our collective grief to the world.
There will not be the shock or outpouring of emotion that was seen at Princess Diana’s funeral, but rather the profound sense of loss associated with the knowledge that things will never again be as they were.
What will the absence of our stalwart figurehead mean for the future of Britain?
I’ve often considered that the death of Elizabeth II would be the appropriate time to discuss the role the monarchy has in British society in the 21st century, and I’m curious to see if my fellow Brits feel the same way. I believe that the only thing preventing public debate on the matter is consideration for Her Majesty.
Charles may inherit his mother’s titles but the respect of the people is not a certainty. We may see a shift in British attitudes when it comes to discussion about changing, or even abolishing, the system.
It’s my hope that once the British people have mourned the loss of Elizabeth, we can address the purpose of the monarchy in a society that pursues equality and inclusivity. If we are to maintain and fund a Royal family there should be accountability to the people, checks on the privileged system that allows a Prince to pay his way out of justice, and adjustments within the institution to better represent a modern society.
We need to question the amount of power held by the monarchy and consider the future of our country and its democracy.
I can say without a doubt that I respect Elizabeth II’s dedication to a life of duty, her symbolic status throughout the world, and the vision of a great country that her image represents — but this country is no longer the one she inherited.
Although it will be a sad day when her death is announced, and I’ll feel the same loss and indefinable gloom as every other Brit, I hope there will be a sense of anticipation for a future where the British people can address an institution that no longer serves the people.
I vow to thee, my country
All earthly things above
Entire and whole and perfect
The service of my love
— I Vow to Thee, My Country, British patriotic hymn, Rice/Holst
- ‘London Bridge is down’: the secret plan for the days after the Queen’s death by Sam Knight, 17 March 2017
