History turned a page on September 8th, 2022 — which will be known as the end of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, and the end of an era. The familiar face that wore the crown for over seven decades, the only British Queen most of us have ever known, has died.
Her Majesty’s death has triggered Operation London Bridge, an elaborate and down-to-the-minute plan of the Queen’s death and funeral. Everything regarding the tragic but inevitable closing of Queen Elizabeth’s reign was settled decades ago and re-examined continually as times and politics changed.
Operation London Bridge also sparked several other well-thought-out plans, including Operation Unicorn, the protocol for if the Queen passed away in Scotland, and Operation Spring Tide concerning King Charles III’s accession. It’s only fitting that the funeral of the most beloved modern-day monarch and the coronation of a new one be planned so meticulously
The queen who steered the conservative institution of British monarchy through dramatic social and political changes is now making her final journey. Millions of her admirers will be glued to their screens, following the queen one last time as she’s finally put to rest after nearly three-quarters of a century of relentless duty.
Plans and Arrangements for Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral
Queen Elizabeth’s carefully orchestrated funeral arrangements are currently underway. Operation London Bridge is the notorious 10-day plan that covers the mourning period, the queen’s final journey to London, and her state funeral.
Here’s a look at what the 10 days following the Queen’s passing look like:
Day 0 (Thursday, September 8, 2022)
Buckingham Palace notifies the public of the Queen’s death via a notice placed on the gates outside Buckingham Palace. Muffled church bells toll across the UK for the first time in over 70 years to signal the death of a monarch. Flags across the country fly at half mast, and the heir apparent, Prince Charles, succeeds to the British throne to become King Charles III.
Day 1 (Friday, September 9, 2022)
Britain officially enters the period of national mourning. The newly proclaimed King Charles III extends the official period of national mourning to seven days after the queen’s state funeral on September 19th, 2022.
In Scotland, the queen’s coffin rests in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle, where the staff pays their respects.
Day 2 (Saturday, September 10, 2022)
The Accession Council meets at St. James’s Palace in London to officially proclaim King Charles III’s accession to the throne. Senior members of the Parliament also take an oath of allegiance to the new king. The queen’s coffin remains at Balmoral Castle.
Day 3 (Sunday, September 11, 2022)
The queen’s coffin arrives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the queen’s residence in Edinburgh, Scotland. The queen rests in Holyrood’s Throne Room until the following afternoon.
Day 4 (Monday, September 12, 2022)
A procession, including the newly appointed king and other royal family members, transports the queen’s coffin from Holyrood Palace to St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. After a short service inside the cathedral, the public pays their respects for about 24 hours until Operation London Bridge enters its next stage.
Day 5 (Tuesday, September 13, 2022)
After short prayers, the coffin is taken to Edinburgh Airport, from where it’s flown to London. The state hearse takes the coffin to Buckingham Palace. Inside Buckingham Palace, the coffin, with the Imperial State Crown, the orb, and the scepter on top, remains in the Bow Room.
Day 6 (Wednesday, September 14, 2022)
A ceremonial procession takes the coffin to the Palace of Westminster on a gun carriage. The king and other royal family members walk behind. Big Ben bell tolls at Westminster and minute guns are fired at Hyde Park as the procession makes its way to Westminster Hall.
The Archbishop of Canterbury conducts a small vigil around the Catafalque. The lying-in-state begins. The public can visit and pay respects to the queen at Westminster Hall until the funeral day.
Day 7 (Thursday, September 15, 2022) – Day 9 (Saturday, September 17, 2022)
Queen Elizabeth II lies in state as the Earl Marshal makes final arrangements for the state funeral. Meanwhile, King Charles III receives leaders from 15 Commonwealth realms where the British monarch is the head of state.
Day 10 (Monday, September 19, 2022)
The state gun carriage takes the coffin from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, where the royal family members, British dignitaries, and world leaders attend the state funeral service. Big Ben strikes just once to signal a nationwide two-minute silence as the state funeral begins.
After the service, another procession takes the coffin to Windsor Castle for a final service at St. George’s Chapel. The queen’s coffin is interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, next to her late parents and sister.
Where to Watch Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral?
Queen Elizabeth’s reign has seen many firsts. The queen’s state funeral, on Monday,19 September, at 11 a.m. BST ( 6 a.m. EST and 8 p.m. AEST), will also be the first to be fully televised in the history of British monarchs.
Millions of followers will be viewing the funeral service and the committal service live from across the globe. Only the interment service at St George’s Chapel will be held privately in the presence of senior royal family members.
If you’d like to join these historic moments virtually, you can tune into live broadcasts on major news channels, including:
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- BBC One
- BBC News
- Sky News
- ITV
- CNN
- ABC News
- Fox News
- NBC News
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You can also stream the state funeral online on many streaming apps and platforms, including:
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- BBC iPlayer
- ITV Hub
- YouTube TV
- Pramount+
- Disney+
- SlingTV
- Peacock
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Most news channels broadcasting the funeral will also be streaming it live on their respective YouTube channels.
Do You Need a VPN for Streaming?
You don’t necessarily need a VPN to stream the state funeral from your home. Still, we always recommend that you use a VPN whenever you connect to the internet to keep your internet sessions secure and private from malicious intruders and irrelevant third parties.
That said, here are a few scenarios where a VPN is a must-have rather than a nice-to-have privacy tool:
- Stream on Restricted Networks
If you’ll be on a school, college, or office network at the time of the state funeral, you may experience network blocks that prevent you from streaming. A VPN will encrypt your traffic, so your network admins won’t be able to see the website or platforms you’re accessing. You can easily bypass network blocks and stream the somber event even at school, the office, or on restricted public networks.
- Bypass ISP Throttling
Millions of people from all over the world will be streaming the funeral service of the queen. Your ISP’s servers may get overcrowded, and it may end up throttling connection speeds to provide a somewhat stable connection to all. That could lead to a lower quality stream and buffering.
With a VPN, your ISP won’t be able to tell if you’re streaming. You can escape activity-based ISP throttling to watch the funeral without interruption. Given Her Majesty’s global popularity and fame, it’s best you expect the worst in terms of speed drops and set up a VPN beforehand.
- Stay Safe on Unsecured Public Wi-Fi
If you’ll be streaming from a cafe, library, hotel bar, or passenger lounge, keep in mind the risks of connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. Malicious actors like cybercriminals can spy on your connection and even try to steal your personal information and account credentials. A VPN will reroute your internet traffic through a secure and private tunnel that malicious intruders can’t peak through.
- Watch on Your Favorite Streaming Platform Abroad
You’ll be able to stream the queen’s funeral via one channel or the other, even if you’re traveling abroad. Of course, each channel’s camera angles and streaming quality will differ. If you prefer streaming on a familiar streaming platform, like BBC iPlayer or NBC, but can’t access it because of traveling and geo-restrictions, use a trusted VPN.
Choose a VPN with robust server infrastructure and several servers in your home country. You’ll get a new IP address from back home and will be able to witness the entire funeral service on your preferred streaming platform.
Sometimes, streaming websites can detect VPN IPs and may block them. If you don’t want to take chances, CyberGhost VPN has app-specific, streaming-optimized servers for all major streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, NBC, and Youtube TV. Our team is constantly testing and troubleshooting these servers to make sure you always get instant access. Download CyberGhost VPN with our risk-free 45-day money-back guarantee.
Join Millions in Mourning and Celebrating A Life of Unprecedented Majesty and Servitude
Not everyone holds a similar stance on the role and legitimacy of the monarchy. Yet, monarchists and republicans alike respect how the queen ardently fulfilled the pledge she made long ago, on her 21st birthday broadcast:
I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family.
She rose above the apprehensions, criticism, and changing times, earning respect and admiration from all.
Tune in to your favorite channels or stream the queen’s solemn funeral services online on Monday, September 19th, at 11 a.m. BST ( 6 a.m. EST and 8 p.m. AEST). Let’s all stand together to bid the long-standing and beloved Queen Elizabeth II farewell as she heads to her final resting place.
FAQ
The death of Queen Elizabeth II sets in motion Operation London Bridge — the official plan outlining the protocols and events following the queen’s death. As per the royal tradition, the queen’s successor, Prince Charles, ascends to the throne as soon as queen Elizabeth II dies.
Flags across the country fly at half mast, and muffled church bells toll to mark the death of the queen and the beginning of the national mourning period.
The queen’s death triggers a 10-day national mourning period. Her state funeral will occur on Monday, September 19, ten days after her death. The funeral takes place at 11 a.m. BST ( 6 a.m. EST and 8 p.m. AEST) and will be aired on several streaming platforms, including BBC iPlayer, and several news channels, including their YouTube channels.
Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral will occur at Westminster Abbey, the same church where her marriage and coronation took place over seven decades ago.
London bridge is down. According to Operation London Bridge, the official plan for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the queen’s death will be intimated to Prime Minister Liz Truss, in the code words: London bridge is down.
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