On Thursday 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II departed our world following 70 years on the throne of the United Kingdom—England, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland. At her death, the Queen was Head of State in 15 countries and ceremonial head of the much wider Commonwealth.
For my generation, Queen Elizabeth has been an unshakable icon since she became queen in 1952; we saw no UK monarch other than her. Her record 70-year-long reign made her the longest-reigning monarch in British history, and perhaps in the history of all modern monarchies. The previous record holder was Queen Victoria who sat on the British throne for 63 years, from 1837 till 1901. Yet Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign was no clinging to power; she was a modern constitutional sovereign who, like most European monarchs, reigned but did not rule. I see constitutional monarchy as providing the best of two worlds: the stability and unity symbolised by the monarch, also the democracy embodied in power rotation and the will of the people.
Now Queen Elizabeth II has departed, and the UK is moving to another phase in which her son and heir Charles sits on the throne as Charles III. The future, as it always does, holds many unknowns, among them the question of whether the 15 States under the British crown and the Commonwealth realms might prefer to remain so or become independent republics. No matter what comes up, Queen Elizabeth II will forever remain an icon of an unblemished life of respect for the British Constitution, loved and respected for her unwavering dedication and service. Now that she has passed away, Operation London Bridge, the funeral plan for the Queen came into force. The plan includes the announcement of her death, the period of official mourning, and the details of her State funeral.
Once the Queen died, her private secretary Sir Edward Young called Prime Minister Liz Truss saying: “London Bridge is down”. At once the PM put the operation into action by communicating the news to the 15 governments outside the UK where the British crown rules, and then to the 36 Commonwealth realms. A footman pinned a dark-edged notice to the gates of Buckingham Palace. A 10-day national mourning was announced.
Day 1: In mourning, banks, the London Stock Exchange and major shops closed their doors; BBC channels announced national mourning and changed the channels’ background colour from red to black; BBC presenters wore black; the BBC broadcasted programmes to commemorate the Queen.
Day 2: Queen Elizabeth’s son and heir, who directly became King Charles III upon her death, addressed the British people: “I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow. Throughout her life, Her Majesty the Queen—my beloved mother—was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family… Her dedication and devotion as sovereign never wavered… In her life of service we saw that abiding love of tradition, together with that fearless embrace of progress… as every member of my family can testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humour and an unerring ability always to see the best in people… I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all… And to my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you.”
Day 6: The coffin of the Queen was moved in procession on a gun carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where the Queen lay in state until the morning of the State Funeral. During the Lying-in-State, members of the Royal Family and public figures bid her farewell, following which members of the public had the opportunity to visit Westminster Hall to pay their respects to the Queen.
Day 10: At 9am, Big Ben’s bell will ring once, then the bell’s hammer will be covered with a leather pad to dampen its tones for the rest of the day. The State funeral for the Queen will take place at the Westminster Abbey at 11am. The coffin will be moved to St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where the Queen will be buried alongside her husband Prince Philip, and where her parents King George VI and the Queen Mother are buried.
During her reign, Queen Elizabeth lived through 12 prime ministers, 20 Olympics, and six pontiffs of the Catholic Church. She is considered the cornerstone of the Commonwealth nations, and she headed some 600 philanthropic organisations. She played a pivotal role in the UK’s relations with countries around the world.
It is expected that the official coronation of King Charles III would take place next spring or summer. Concurrently, new banknotes that hold the effigy of the new king are being printed and will gradually phase out the old banknotes that carry that of the deceased queen. The same will apply to post stamps, passports and uniforms of members of the police and army. The national anthem has changed from “God save the Queen” to “God save the King”.
I write these lines prior to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. I know the ceremony will be marked with reverence, respect and solemness, sentiments which always dominated such occasions in the UK. I had the opportunity to watch the funerals of Sir Winston Churchill; Lady Diana; the Queen Mother; and Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband. All through, I could not help observing and wondering why grief in our part of the world is expressed in rowdiness, but is on the other side of the world characterised with solemnity.
Watani International
16 September 2022