After Queen Elizabeth II’s death at 96 following 70 years of service to the United Kingdom, preparations are in motion for the transition of power and elaborate funeral proceedings for Her Majesty.
As the United Kingdom prepares for mourning, here’s what is expected today following her death:
The king will return to London
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will travel to London on Friday, where the king will meet with new Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The king and queen consort remained at Balmoral on Thursday in the wake of his mother’s death.
There will most likely be 12 days of mourning before the Queen’s funeral. BACKGRIDFuneral planning and royal accession
King Charles will likely meet with the Duke of Norfolk, the earl marshal, who is in charge of the accession of power and the funeral proceedings for Queen Elizabeth II.
As earl marshal, the job entitles them to make the arrangements for state functions.
Confirming a period of national mourning
The United Kingdom will confirm the length of the national mourning period leading up to the Queen’s funeral. This will likely be 12 days, the Guardian reports.
King Charles III is driven through Ballater as he leaves Birkhall in Scotland and travels to London following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Andrew Milligan/PA Images/AlamyRoyal mourning period
King Charles will then select the number of days the royal family and members of the royal household will be in mourning. This court mourning is expected to last one month.
When King George VI died in February 1952, the royal family and associates spent 16 weeks of court mourning.
National flag status
It will be announced that the national flag of the United Kingdom will remain at half-staff until the day following the Queen’s state funeral.
Bells across England
Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Windsor Castle will ring their bells, along with churches across England, at noon today.
King Charles III and the queen consort drive through Ballater as they leave Birkhall in Scotland and travel to London following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. Andrew Milligan/PA Images/AlamyGun salute
Ninety-six rounds will be fired in a gun salute at 1 p.m. at Hyde Park and other stations around the country to honor each year of the Queen’s life, the BBC reported.
The king’s address
King Charles will address the nation with a pre-recorded speech around 6 p.m. He will pledge his duty of service to the United Kingdom as the country’s new sovereign and pay tribute to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Service of remembrance
Following the king’s speech, the prime minister and senior ministers are expected to attend a public service of remembrance for the Queen at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
The service will begin at 6 p.m. local time, on a first-come-first-served basis for 2,000 guests, according to the BBC.
Flowers placed next to pictures of Queen Elizabeth outside the British Consulate-General, after she died at age 96, in Hong Kong on September 9, 2022. REUTERSHer coffin will then be taken to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Queen Elizabeth II will be taken to Windsor Castle for a committal service ahead of her burial in the castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel.
