London: Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday at the age of 96.
What Happens When The Queen Dies In Scotland?
There was a protocol in place for the Queen’s death for decades, with governments and broadcasters involved in getting the message out quickly and respectfully. A report from the Guardian outlined the details of the process, along with its codename: London Bridge is down.
However, there were special provisions if the monarch died when she was in Scotland, called Operation Unicorn.
The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland and forms part of the royal coat of arms, along with the lion of England.
Operation Unicorn, the codename for the plans in Scotland, leaked some time ago and indicated it is likely her coffin will temporarily rest at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, having been taken there by road two days after her death.
The palace is the monarch’s official residence in Edinburgh, and the cathedral is one of the Scottish capital’s most important medieval churches.
The parliamentary business will be immediately suspended and politicians will prepare a motion of condolence and get ready for a state funeral.
Members of the public will sign a book of condolence at the parliament at Holyrood.
A source in the parliament told The Herald that the Queen’s death in Scotland could result in hundreds of thousands of people arriving there.
“If the Queen passes away in Scotland, her body will rest at Holyroodhouse, following which her coffin will be carried to the cathedral on the Royal Mile (in Edinburgh),” the newspaper wrote.
Her body will then be placed on the Royal Train at Waverley station in Edinburgh for a journey down the east coast mainline to London.
When Elizabeth’s father George VI passed away in 1952, the news of his death was conveyed using the code ‘Hyde Park Corner,’ to maintain discretion.
For Elizabeth II, the phrase “London Bridge is down” will be used to alert the PM and the heads of 15 other governments where the Queen is head of state that she has passed away.