The Palace Envisions Exactly How Queen Elizabeth’s Death Will Happen
Queen Elizabeth‘s death has specific protocol for how the royal family, the palace, and the government will handle it. Here’s exactly how the palace and others envision that day unfolding and what happens the moment it does.
Queen Elizabeth is ‘under medical supervision’
On Sept. 8, Buckingham Palace released a statement that Queen Elizabeth’s health is of concern. The statement read: “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.” The queen is at Balmoral with her family.
The queen has faced other health concerns this year. On Feb. 20, an official statement from Buckingham Palace announced Queen Elizabeth tested positive for COVID-19. The release, which was shared by ITV’s Royal Editor Chris Ship on Twitter, read: “Buckingham Palace confirms that The Queen has today tested positive for COVID. Her majesty is experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week. She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines.”
Well wishes from the U.K. and beyond poured in for the royal family matriarch.
The palace, government, and BBC envision how the queen’s death will unfold
The queen’s advanced age have some thinking about when her reign comes to end. But that is actually something the palace has planned out for several years.
While no one knows for sure exactly how they will die, The Guardian noted that the palace, government, and BBC all have a version that Queen Elizabeth will die after a brief illness surrounded by her family. And Professor Sir Huw Thomas, Head of the Medical Household and Physician to the queen, will be present that day and will be in charge of who can go into her room at which time. It will then be decided when the information should be made public.
The moment she takes her final breath, Prince Charles will become king. However, his coronation ceremony will not take place until months after his mother’s death to allow for an appropriate time for a monarch to be mourned before another is crowned.
What happens after Queen Elizabeth’s death
Following her death, there are a few specific rules Queen Elizabeth herself and those who work for her have laid out which must be carried out from how long she should be mourned to what will be played on public television.
When the time comes, the news will be broadcast immediately unless she dies in the middle of the night. If the latter happens, the announcement will be made early that morning. There will then be 12 official days of mourning and the queen’s body will lie in state for those days. During this time the BBC cannot air any comedies or other humorous programs. In fact, Queen Elizabeth has already handpicked several documentaries about her life to be played on the network.
The Daily Beast reported that “every senior BBC presenter has to have a dark suit and black tie on standby in which to announce the death.”
