Photo: Getty
  /  09.09.2022

Update: On Thursday (Sept. 8), Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96. Her death was announced in a statement from Buckingham Palace following news that her health was declining and medical professionals were watching her closely. Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne made her the longest reigning monarch in Britain’s history. “The queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace noted.

Original Story: A numbing consequence of the pandemic for many of its survivors has been coping with consistent COVID-related deaths. The World Health Organization’s WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard confirmed over 5.8 million global fatalities thus far. Some of the collective’s most powerful figures have become casualties of the infectious disease. An associated widespread announcement was released by the gossip website Hollywood Unlocked on Tuesday (Feb. 22), stating the following:

“Socialites, it is with our deepest regret to inform you that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has died. Sources close to the Royal Kingdom notified us exclusively that Queen Elizabeth has passed away. She was scheduled to attend the wedding of British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, but was found dead.”

A slew of social media speculation faced Jason Lee, the blog’s founder, questioning his credibility. The next morning (Feb. 23), he doubled down on Twitter, writing, “Woke up to some fake account posting a retraction. We do not know that account and we have not retracted our story. There has yet to be an official statement from the Palace. Staying tuned.” By the afternoon, CNN’s London office confirmed, “Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II spoke with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said, despite the monarch suffering mild symptoms after her positive COVID-19 diagnosis.”

Now that we have established Britain’s longest-reigning monarch is alive, let’s review what will happen abroad following her death. A plan dubbed “Operation LONDON BRIDGE” originated in the 1960s following the 95-year-old queen‘s succession in 1952. Per POLITICO, “In the hours after the queen’s death, a ‘call cascade’ will take place informing the prime minister, the cabinet secretary (Britain‘s highest-ranking civil servant) and a number of the most senior ministers and officials. The PM will be informed by the queen’s private secretary, who will also tell the Privy Council Office, which coordinates government work on behalf of the monarch.” During this period, it is expected that Charles, Prince of Wales, 73, will ascend to the throne as her heir

His potential advancement will be unlike other kings before him, as the Prince was born at Buckingham Palace in 1948. According to Britannica’s archives, “As the child of a younger son of King George V, the young Elizabeth had little prospect of acceding to the throne… there was an announcement of her betrothal to her distant cousin Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten of the Royal Navy… On the accession of Queen Elizabeth, her son Prince Charles became heir apparent…” Her son’s tenure is the longest in Wales’ history and spans 70 years. Even so, Lee’s mentioned platform’s recent false fatality claim has been shared adjacent to other controversial reports concerning the royal family

For example, Business Insider cited a Russian TV host Dmitry Kiselyov who asserted, “… a war was being sought by the royals in order to distract from unwelcome news: namely Prince Andrew’s legal settlement of Virginia Giuffre’s sexual-assault case against him…” In conjunction, Buckingham Palace has dealt with other allegations, such as those published with Reuters concerning the police investigation into Prince Charles’s charity activity. For some, it may be unclear what the future holds for the monarch’s sons logistically between news statements. The leaked Cabinet Office documents included “Operation Spring Tide,” the 10-day action plan for Prince Charles’ accession. Several of the governmental “D-Day” (a codename for the queen’s passing) procedures are summarized by legislative outlines, respectively: 

“Each following day leading up to the funeral will be referred to as ‘D+1,’ ‘D+2’ and so on. The royal household will issue an ‘official notification’ delivering the news to the public. A call script for departmental permanent secretaries outlining how to break the news to their ministers… Upon receipt of this email, flags across Whitehall will be lowered to half-mast… The U.K. parliament and the devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will adjourn.”

Queen Elizabeth II‘s funeral will be held on the tenth day following her passing at Westminster Abbey. Ahead of this occurrence, the Accession Council will meet at St. James’ Palace to acknowledge her heir as the new sovereign. A daily breakdown is anticipated to commence beginning from D-Day+1 thusly, “All members of the Privy Council are summoned. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London and High Commissioners of Realm Commonwealth countries are invited to attend,” notes The Royal Household‘s page. Additionally, any parliamentary business affairs are paused until after the queen’s memorial services.

On D-Day+2, the queen’s coffin will return to Buckingham Palace. The monarch’s remain’s engagements and transportation will be in accordance with her place of death. A hypothetical illustration is detailed resultantly, “If the queen dies at Sandringham, her residence in Norfolk… her body will be carried by royal train to St. Pancras station in London,” records POLITICO‘s European section. The prime minister and cabinet ministers are expected to connect near her casket. Subsequently, on D-Day+3 at Westminster Hall, the new king will accept the motion of condolence and begin his official tour of the four nations of the United Kingdom. The first stop is alongside the Parliament of Scotland.

Following these events, on D-Day+4, the next motion of condolence will be received at Hillsborough Castle. Rehearsals will begin with the queen’s coffin between Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster. D-Day+5 will execute “Operation LION,” best known as a formal route through London honoring the queen before her first viewing at Westminster Hall. Demonstrations outside of the monarch’s residences will also take place, i.e., “A 41-gun salute — almost seven minutes of artillery — will be fired from Hyde Park,” wrote MyLondon News. 

Concerning these circumstances, outlets such as BBC will “… refrain from playing comedy shows as a sign of respect until after the funeral,” confirmed Business Insider. More than extra security arrangements, the prime minister will need to factor in the possibility of additional COVID-19 spikes. Should the queen die during the pandemic, large crowds pose a threat to all festivities and themselves, health-wise. 

Numerous happenings will be streamlined from D-Day+6 to D-Day+9. Projected events are listed by the original source chronologically, “… a rehearsal will take place for the state funeral procession. King Charles will travel to Wales to receive another motion of condolence at the Welsh parliament… The Foreign Office is tasked with arranging the arrivals of heads of state and VIPs from abroad… the government’s National Security Secretariat and intelligence services will be on high alert for any increased terror threat.”

Lastly, on D-Day+10, Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will be held and offered a national moment of silence before she is buried in her family’s memorial chapel. These documented protocols are speculated to remain subject to upcoming ventures and political positions. Neighboring European territories Russia and Ukraine are now at war. Despite her COVID-19 diagnosis, the queen held an audience with the prime minister via a call from Windsor Castle this week. Buckingham Palace staff virus cases have been confirmed. Moving forward, guests who enter the monarch’s quarters are expected to take a Coronavirus test, as she is a high-risk elder and working light duties. 

Sources:

https://www.royal.uk/her-majesty-the-queen 

https://covid19.who.int/ 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60507520 

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a39186822/hollywood-unlocked-false-reporting-queen-elizabeth-death/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzsyFG0JbOE 

https://hollywoodunlocked.com/hu-exclusive-queen-elizabeth-dead/ 

https://twitter.com/theonlyjasonlee/status/1496500824876498946?s=20&t=7vkZ2wlWj6yh5e-KRQvu6w 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/23/uk/queen-elizabeth-boris-johnson-intl-gbr/index.html 

https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-queen-death/fact-check-false-news-circulating-on-social-media-about-britains-queen-elizabeth-idUSL1N2S228N 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/briannasacks/hollywood-unlocked-queen-elizabeth-death-what-happened 

https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/23/queen-phones-boris-johnson-after-being-diagnosed-with-covid-16143237/?ito=push-notification&ci=8DvOrc6A3h&cri=_9dz8Xq9wc&si=14131365&xi=44b5cc47-1da6-42ef-a747-b8a26f4dbf50&ai=16143237 

https://www.businessinsider.com/video-what-will-happen-when-queen-elizabeth-ii-dies-2019-11 

https://twitter.com/meghan_world/status/1495420145606574083?s=20&t=d57zVB6vlEvtNT0YjYA_mQ 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9956431/Inquiry-launched-details-Operation-London-Bridge-came-published-online.html 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/nyregion/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-settlement.html 

https://twitter.com/meghan_world/status/1495420145606574083?s=20&t=d57zVB6vlEvtNT0YjYA_mQ      

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-probe-cash-for-honours-allegations-prince-charless-charity-2022-02-16/ 

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/feb/23/facebook-posts/no-cnn-didnt-report-queen-elizabeth-ii-died/ 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9954241/Secret-plan-Queens-death-revealed-Operation-London-Bridge-leaked.html 

http://www.hawardencommunitycouncil.gov.uk/Hawarden-CC/UserFiles/Files/Item%209%20Operation%20London%20Bridge.pdf 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-police-probe-cash-for-honours-allegations-prince-charless-charity-2022-02-16/ 

https://www.royal.uk/accession?page=19 

https://www.royal.uk/royal-residences-st-jamess-palace 

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/councillor-aims-bring-vote-no-6639352  

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2022/02/23/fact-check-queen-elizabeth-death-hoax-stemmed-tabloid-site/6903266001/ 

https://people.com/royals/queen-elizabeth-holds-audience-boris-johnson-phone-amid-covid-diagnosis/ 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2022/02/23/fact-check-queen-elizabeth-death-hoax-stemmed-tabloid-site/6903266001/ 

https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/principal/government-opposition/ 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/prime-minister 

https://slate.com/culture/2022/02/queen-elizabeth-dead-covid-hollywood-unlocked.html 

https://www.royal.uk/royal-family 

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-01-13/debates/BDD82430-348B-4DA0-AEB1-A64C363367B2/SittingsInWestminsterHall(Suspension)(No2) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9S55feGUzg 

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/prince-philip-parliament-to-pay-tribute/ 

https://www.royal.uk/royal-art-and-residences 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/what-happen-queen-dies-revealed-21474031 

https://www.parliament.scot/about/history-of-the-scottish-parliament 

https://www.hrp.org.uk/about-us/#gs.q7iohh 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/8-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-battle-of-britain 

https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/united_kingdom.htm-https://www.firstpost.com/world/operation-london-bridge-funeral-plans-of-queen-elizabeth-ii-leaked-for-the-first-time-9936181.html 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/operation-london-bridge-queen-dead-elizabeth-ii-secret-plan-buckingham-palace-a7632891.html 

https://www.mylondon.news/news/uk-world-news/what-operation-london-bridge-27-15982422 

https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/westminsterhall/ 

https://britishheritage.com/royals/queen-elizabeth-ii-dies 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge 

https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a30044076/what-happens-when-queen-dies/ 

https://www.factcheck.org/2022/02/queen-elizabeth-ii-carries-on-with-official-duties-contrary-to-unsubstantiated-report-of-her-death/ 

https://thehill.com/policy/international/europe/595611-top-ukrainian-official-putin-has-launched-a-full-scale-war?rl=1 

https://www.newsweek.com/hollywood-unlocked-blame-intern-queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-jason-lee-1681808 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/24/russia-ukraine-attack-news/ 

https://www.businessinsider.com/video-what-will-happen-when-queen-elizabeth-ii-dies-2019-11 

https://www.royal.uk/royal-family-and-coronavirus-0 

https://time.com/6149854/queen-elizabeth-covid-updates/ 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

View More

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

View More

Trending

Emmanuel Hudson had his eyes set on Quincy Brown’s crown for the latest episode of "Receipts"

Quincy Brown went head-to-head with comedian and actor Emmanuel Hudson for what was arguably the most hilarious installment of the series to date.

  /  09.26.2023

How Black women entrepreneurs are redefining beauty & wellness | 'More Than That with Gia Peppers'

Gia Peppers heads to LA to speak with founders Devi Brown and Ofunne Amaka about the intersection of wellness and beauty for Black women, walking in alignment, creating a space for mental health at every step, and so much more. Watch!

  /  09.27.2023

The HBCU-to-wealth pipeline in Washington, D.C. | 'More Than That with Gia Peppers'

Gia Peppers heads to Chocolate City to talk about why funding HBCUs matters and how it leads to Black wealth with her mom, Dr. Gail Cherry-Peppers, Howard University President Emeritus Wayne Frederick, Thurgood Marshall College Fund President and CEO Harry L. Williams, and The Spice Suite owner Angel Gregorio. Watch now!

  /  09.20.2023

Angela Yee talks "The Breakfast Club," growing up in Brooklyn & interning for Wu-Tang Clan | ‘The Blackprint with Detavio Samuels’

On this all-new episode of “The Blackprint,” host and REVOLT CEO Detavio Samuels welcomes Angela Yee to discuss growing up in Brooklyn, interning for Wu-Tang Clan, “The Breakfast Club,” and curating her own show. Presented by LIFEWTR.

  /  09.12.2023

Quincy Brown vs. Emmanuel Hudson | 'Receipts'

Tap in for the latest episode of our game show, “Receipts,” celebrating Black excellence as host Quincy Brown takes on Emmanuel Hudson to see who can correctly discover our Black and Unlimited shopper’s unlikely passion. Presented by Walmart.

  /  09.26.2023

Tory Lanez says that his "head has always been held high" in first phone call from prison

The incarcerated artist also announced a deluxe edition of 2021’s ‘Alone At Prom.’

  /  09.26.2023

Tiffany Haddish on therapy, wild fan interactions & the upcoming 'Haunted Mansion' movie | 'The Jason Lee Show'

On this all-new episode of “The Jason Lee Show,” the one and only Tiffany Haddish sits for a must-watch conversation about wild interactions with fans, her new movie ‘Haunted Mansion,’ bringing her therapist on dates, and being present. Watch the hilarious interview here.

  /  07.12.2023

BNXN talks leaving IT for music, linking with Wizkid, going viral & new album | 'On In 5'

For this all-new episode of “On In 5,” singer-songwriter BNXN discusses his journey from IT to music, finding his voice and originality, linking up with Wizkid for their hits “Mood” and “Many Ways,” and what fans can expect from him this year — including a new album. Watch the full episode here!

  /  08.08.2023

Pheelz talks expressing himself through music & his biggest inspirations | 'On In 5'

On this all-new episode of “On In 5,” multitalented Nigerian artist Pheelz opens up about waiting for his opportunity to fully express himself through music, his inspirations and emotions, and the musical icons he grew up admiring. Watch!

  /  07.11.2023

Jordyn Woods talks prioritizing authenticity, her brand & saying, "No" | 'Assets Over Liabilities'

On this episode of “Assets Over Liabilities,” Jordyn Woods welcomes hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings to her headquarters to discuss expanding Woods by Jordyn, prioritizing authenticity throughout her brand promotions, not talking about money with friends, being patient, and saying, “No.” Watch here!

  /  08.09.2023

Kareem Cook talks growing up in The Bronx, studying at Duke & networking | 'The Blackprint with Detavio Samuels'

On this all-new episode of “The Blackprint with Detavio Samuels,” the host and REVOLT CEO sits down with Kareem Cook. Throughout the introspective episode, Cook talks growing up in The Bronx, studying at Duke and being nervous to be in the South at the time, network vs. education, taking advantage of your opportunities, and connecting with Debbie Allen. Watch!

  /  07.10.2023

Web3 | Ice Cube's BIG3 league is centering innovative ownership opportunities within sports

“Ownership holds a lot of weight. It’s about reaping the rewards of your hard work, having a say in how things roll,” Ice Cube tells REVOLT in this “Web3” exclusive about giving fans a piece of the BIG3 pie.

  /  08.18.2023

Doechii pays homage to hip hop icons and talks pushing the boundaries of music genres

Ahead of hip hop’s 50th birthday, Doechii sat with REVOLT for an exclusive interview and talked about her upcoming tour with Doja Cat, love for Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj, some of her favorite rap albums and much more. Read up!

  /  08.04.2023

Scotty ATL is achieving longevity with grillz by staying ahead of the curve

“I built my own lane… I’m just educating myself on a daily basis,” he told REVOLT in this exclusive interview for Black Business Month. Read up!

  /  08.16.2023

Kickin' Facts with Legendary Lade | Clarks Originals x MAYDE WORLDWIDE Wallabee “Pacific Blue”

LA native and designer Aleali May teams up with Clarks Originals for a new collaboration.

  /  08.21.2023

Kickin' Facts with Legendary Lade | Looking back at 50 years of hip hop through four genre-defining sneakers

As we celebrate hip hop’s 50th year, let’s take a look at a few of the sneakers that have defined the genre.

  /  08.08.2023

Breakdancing, an oft-ignored pillar of hip hop, is taking its rightful place in the spotlight

In celebration of hip hop’s 50th birthday, we discuss the history of breaking, the art form serving as a voice for the marginalized and it being added to the 2024 Olympics. Read up!

  /  08.10.2023

Pride was the theme of the night at the inaugural Caribbean Music Awards

“This marks an important historic moment,” Wyclef Jean exclusively told REVOLT. “The Caribbean Music Awards created a bridge to unify all Caribbean artists and show the world that [we] are strong in numbers, as well as leaders of the culture.”

  /  09.05.2023

Halftime Report | How Rucker Park culture transformed the legacies of hip hop and basketball

The late Greg Marius played matchmaker between basketball and hip hop, and the marriage is still going strong. In honor of hip hop’s 50th birthday, read our latest “Halftime Report” below.

  /  08.09.2023
View More
Revolt - New Episodes