Queen Elizabeth is dead. London Bridge or Operation Unicorn, what is happening in UK?
The world is mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II. She died at the age of 96 in Balmoral, Scotland, with her family by her side. However, the Queen's death has not come as a shock, and plans on what happens in the event have long been in place.
In fact, these plans have been laid out since the 1960s, according to the location of the Queen's death.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022
The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
Since the Queen died in Balmoral, Scotland, UK, the authorities have activated 'Operation Unicorn'. The operation is named after Scotland's national animal (yes, the mythological unicorn) and also since unicorns form part of the royal coat of arms, along with the lion of England.
Buckingham Palace had had a plan in place for the Queen's funeral, code-named 'London Bridge' had she died in London. However, some part of London Bridge was already set in motion when BBC anchors were dressed in black. Now, Operation London Bridge will be activated only after the body is brought back to the Buckingham Palace.
The code for conveying the message of the Queen's death was "London bridge is down".
Operation Unicorn will end as soon as Queen Elizabeth's body is brought back to Buckingham Palace, and Operation London Bridge will commence.
Operation London Bridge is the code name for the funeral plans for Queen Elizabeth II. The plan includes the announcement of her death, the period of official mourning, and the details of her state funeral.