Operation Unicorn And Operation London Bridge = Abridged
Details of the British government's plan for the
Queen's death — Operation London
Bridge — have been well-reported over
the years.
But now that the Queen has died in Scotland, a second, lesser-known plan called Operation Unicorn has to unfold first.
Operation Unicorn- Balmoral to English/Scottish Border
Here's how Scotland's Operation Unicorn is unfolding.
With the Queen typically spending three months a year at her favourite residence, Balmoral, a plan was clearly needed if she died there.A
number of other plans also existed, including Operation Overstudy,
which would have been used if the Queen died while overseas.
The Queen died at Balmoral in north-east Scotland on Thursday local time.
Once the Queen crosses the Scottish border, Operation Unicorn ends and Operation London Bridge commences.
Sunday 11 September
The Queen's coffin, which is currently in the ballroom at Balmoral, will be carried by six gamekeepers from the Balmoral Estate.
It will be driven by hearse to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a journey starting at 10am and expected to last six hours.
The coffin will:
• Reach Ballater at around 10.12am
• Make its way through Aboyne, Banchory, Peterculter
• Arrive in Aberdeen at around 11.20am, moving through the city's suburbs
• Move through Porthleven, Stonehaven before heading inland
• Head through the Angus countryside and past Brechin
• Arrive in Dundee at around 2pm, where it will go around the city on the Kingsway
• Head towards Perth, across the Friarton Bridge and down the M90
• Go over the Queensferry Crossing towards Edinburgh
• Enter Edinburgh from the west, skirt by Edinburgh Castle
• Down the full length of the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse ( below) by about 4pm
• The coffin will rest in the Throne Room of Holyroodhouse to allow staff at the palace to pay their respects
Meanwhile In London:
The King, who succeeds his mother as head of the Commonwealth, will
have an audience with its secretary-general at Buckingham Palace. Head of the Commonwealth is not a title that the King "naturally inherits". It is something the Commonwealth agreed to some years ago, so he is now the new head of the Commonwealth,
Proclamations of Charles as King will also take place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Monday 12 September
The King and Queen Consort will travel to Edinburgh to join a procession from Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral.
The procession will leave at 2.35pm, with the King and some members of the Royal Family following on foot.
At 2.55pm, the coffin will be carried into the cathedral with the Crown of Scotland on top.
This
is a separate crown to the one she was crowned in, It is a
symbol of the Scottish nation that is kept in Edinburgh Castle.
The
coffin will rest in the cathedral, and members of the public can pay
their respects. Mourners will be able to view the coffin from 5pm, with a
queuing system in place and strict security checks and restrictions on
mobile phones. Photography and recording is strictly prohibited.
Members of the public who wish to pay their respects have been warned they face long waits due to the anticipated demand.
Officials say weather conditions may be challenging and standing for a number of hours should be expected.
Tuesday 13 September
On Tuesday 13 September
at 5pm, a hearse will take the coffin to Edinburgh airport arriving at
6pm. The Princess Royal will fly with the coffin for the 55-minute
flight to RAF Northolt.
Operation London Bridge will be featured in a separate Blog post.
