ON 9 September 2022, Her Majesty passed away peacefully at the age of 96 – marking the end of her historic reign.
After her death, her son Charles has now been officially proclaimed King Charles III and the country will enter a period of mourning.
What happens in the next days?
The Queen died at her Balmoral estate on 8 September 2022.
King Charles, the Queen Consort, Prince William, the Duke of York, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex and Prince Harry rushed to be by the Queen’s side.
Moments after her death, the Queen’s private secretary broke the tragic news to Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The media – newspapers and TV stations – were then notified, with UK broadcast readers switching to black ties as they broke the heartbreaking update to the nation.
Shortly after she died, King Charles released a statement paying tribute to his “beloved” mother.
He said her death was “a moment of greatest sadness for me and all the members of my family”.
Britain will enter ten days of national mourning from Friday 9 September.
On September 9, bells tolled at St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle as MPs paid their respects to the Queen in the House of Commons.
Then at 1:00pm a gun salute rang out in Hyde Park as the nation mourned.
The King and Queen returned to London for an audience with the Prime Minister in the afternoon, followed by an address from the King in the early evening.
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A memorial service began that evening at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
On the morning of September 10, Charles was officially proclaimed King Charles III in a first-ever televised ceremony with the Council of Accession.
Following this morning’s proclamation, the King will receive the Archbishop of Canterbury at Buckingham Palace at 2pm.
He will then receive the Prime Minister and Cabinet members at Buckingham Palace at 2.30pm.
At 15:00, the king also receives leaders of the opposition parties at Buckingham Palace.
Then, an hour later at 4pm, the King will be the Dean of Westminster at Buckingham Palace – but no media will be present during this private meeting.
When does the mourning period begin and how long will it last?
The UK will officially mourn the Queen for at least two weeks at the request of King Charles.
A period of mourning will be observed from Friday September 9 until seven days after the Queen’s funeral.
The funeral is believed to take place on September 19, but this has not been confirmed.
The somber period will see the Union Jack lowered to half-mast and books of condolence will be opened for well-wishers to send their love to the royal family.
The Queen’s coffin will be taken to Parliament, where she will lie in state at Westminster Hall until her funeral.
Media coverage will also reflect the period of mourning – with television and radio stations expected to follow a code of conduct.
Interim measures are understood to include the suspension of comedy programs on the BBC and the recommendation that DJs play harmless music.
Parliament will be suspended for 10 days and the London Stock Exchange is also expected to close for a short period of time.
Charles will embark on a UK tour – visiting Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – during the mourning period, it is understood.
On the tenth day of the mourning period, the state funeral itself will be held at Westminster Abbey.
When is the Queen’s funeral and what arrangements do we know?
The Queen’s state funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey in central London on Monday, September 19, but has yet to be confirmed.
The original plans were for the Queen’s coffin to be transported on a carriage to the abbey, pulled by naval staff – sailors – using ropes rather than horses.
Senior family members are expected to follow them poignantly – just as they did for the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The military will line the streets and also join the procession.
Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royalty and key figures in public life will be invited to gather at the abbey, which can accommodate a congregation of 2,000.
The service will be televised and there is expected to be a national two-minute silence.
On the same day as the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for a televised ceremony.
Later in the evening there will be a private service with senior members of the royal family.
The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI Memorial Chapel, an annexe to the main chapel – where her mother and father are buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.
Philip’s coffin will be moved from the Royal Vault to the Memorial Chapel to join the Queen’s.
Where will the Queen be buried?
The Queen will be laid to rest by her beloved husband Prince Philip’s side in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Prince Philip is buried in the Royal Vault at Windsor Castle, but his remains will be moved so he can be laid to rest with his wife.
The chapel – named after the Queen’s father King George VI – was built in 1969 within the main St George’s Chapel.
Her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, are buried in the chapel.
The ashes of the Queen’s younger sister Princess Margaret were transferred to the tomb two months after her death in February 2002.
Will there be a holiday?
On 10 September, it was confirmed that the day of the Queen’s funeral would be a public holiday.
King Charles III approved the order today at St James’s Palace in London when he was officially crowned King in a historic ceremony televised for the first time.
The announcement means that on the day of the Queen’s funeral, schools, most businesses and many shops will close.
How long will the flags remain at half-mast?
Union flags on all royal buildings are flying at half-mast following the Queen’s death yesterday.
On Saturday 10 September, the flags will be raised again at 1pm and will remain there for 24 hours to coincide with the first public proclamation of the new sovereign by Charles.
The proclamation will be read outdoors from the balcony of Friary Court at St James’s Palace by the Garter King of Arms.
Union flags will then be flown at half-mast across the city and across Britain.
Of course, flags will then remain at half-mast until 8am on the day after the Queen’s funeral on September 19.
The royal standard never flies at half-mast. It represents the sovereign and the United Kingdom and is a symbol of the continuation of the monarchy.
If the new king is in residence at a royal palace or castle, the royal standard will fly there at full mast, as is tradition.
When will King Charles be officially crowned?
Charles is now King of England and his wife Camilla is Queen Consort.
At 73, Charles is the oldest person to ascend the throne in British history.
Due to the extensive preparation required for the coronation, the event may be months away.
Traditionally held at Westminster Abbey, thousands will gather to send their well wishes to Charles.
A coronation is a state occasion – unlike a royal wedding – so the government pays for it and sets the guest list.
What happens to the titles of the royal family?
Kate Middleton and Prince William have adopted new titles following the death of Her Majesty the Queen.
The royals will temporarily be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge – until the new king gives them the titles Prince and Princess of Wales.
William and Kate updated their social media profiles accordingly last night, changing their names to ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge’.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s childhood titles have also been changed.
Under the protocols established by King George V, the Queen’s grandfather, the sovereign’s children and grandchildren are automatically entitled to the title of HRH and Prince or Princess.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children Archie, three, and Lilibeth, one, will now officially be Prince and Princess and HRHs, under rules established in 1917.
Will sporting events continue?
Premier League and EFL chiefs have canceled football this weekend.
After discussions between bosses and government officials, it was decided to abandon the planned program.
A pre-meeting and conversation took place this morning between sporting bodies and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Are schools, shops and businesses closed during mourning?
Schools have been ordered to remain open as the nation mourns the Queen.
Children across the country will continue to attend classes as ten days of national mourning begin, The Sun understands.
Shops are not required to close during the mourning period, but some may choose to do so as a mark of respect.
But the day of the Queen’s funeral will be an official day of mourning and celebration – so schools, businesses and many shops will be closed.
Businesses considered essential, such as supermarkets, banks and post offices, are likely to remain open.