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Harriet Marsden
Mar 19, 2017

Picture:
Getty Images / Chris Jackson
At the end of 2016, a.k.a. the Year Everybody Died and Everything Went to Hell, the Queen of the United Kingdom was taken ill.
In some corners of the internet, fear took hold that Queen Elizabeth II would be the next public figure to pass on.
But what's going to happen when she dies? Can any of us even envisage a Britain without her?
There has been a pretty extensive plan in place ever since the 1960s.
It's called: 'London Bridge is down'.
This will be communicated to the Prime Minister of the UK, and will kick start Operation London Bridge - possibly the most detailed funeral plan in modern UK history.
Here are just some of the plans in motion for when the Queen passes away...
- The Queen's private secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt, will be the first to know
- Geidt will contact the Prime Minister with the code word "London Bridge is down"
- The Foreign Office's Global Response Centre will notify the 15 governments outside the UK where the Queen is head of state, and 36 other nations of the Commonwealth
- The Press Association will be informed, alerting the world's media
- A footman dressed in mourning attire will pin a black-edged notice to the gates of Buckingham palace
- The BBC will activate their 'Radio Alert Transmission System' (Rats) - sometimes known as 'royal about to snuff it' - which is reserved for the death of major royalsÂ
- The media will release their pre-prepared stories, films and obituaries
- Blue obituary lights will start flashing in commercial radio stations, and DJs will switch to the news in the next few minutes
- Newsreaders will wear black suits and ties (which they keep at the ready at all times)
- Some variation of the words "It is with the greatest sorrow that we make the following announcement" will be used
- The royal standard will appear on screen and the national anthem will play
- Comedy will be cancelled until after the funeral
- Pilots will announce her death to passengers
- The London Stock Exchange will close, potentially costing the economy billions
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