LONDON (AP) — The death of Queen Elizabeth II set in motion a tightly choreographed series of ceremonial and constitutional steps, as Britain undergoes a period of national mourning and enters the reign of King Charles III.
A long-established 10-day plan, code-named Operation London Bridge, covers arrangements for the queen's final journey to London and state funeral. Here is a look at what will happen in the coming days:
Thursday, Sept. 15
— The queen's coffin lies in state in Westminster Hall in London for the first of four full days. Thousands of people joined a huge line to pay their respects to their late monarch. By midday, the queue had grown to 4.4 miles (7 kilometers), winding past Tower Bridge.
Friday, Sept. 16
— The king and queen consort will visit Wales, the last leg of their royal tour of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom.
— On Friday night, the king and his three siblings — Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — will hold a 15-minute vigil around the queen's coffin as it lies in state.
Sunday, Sept. 18
— Britain holds a “national moment of reflection” with 1 minute of silence at 8.p.m. (1900 GMT, 3 p.m. EDT).
Monday, Sept. 19
— The queen's lying in state period finishes early Monday morning.
— The king will lead the royal family in a procession that takes the queen's coffin from Westminster Hall to nearby Westminster Abbey for a state funeral that begins at 11 a.m. Leaders and dignitaries from around the world are expected to attend.
— Two minutes of silence will be observed across the U.K. at the end of the funeral.
— The funeral marks the end of 10 days of national morning, and the day will be a public holiday across the U.K.
— A committal service for the queen takes place at St. George's Chapel in Windsor on Monday afternoon. She will be interred alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, in the chapel in a private service later that night.
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The Associated Press
