Death of Queen Elizabeth II - what happens next
A carefully choreographed series of events is planned.
Last updated 9th Sep 2022
The news of the Queen's death was announced at around 6.30pm on Thursday 8th September, setting in motion a long list of complex arrangements.
Here is what to expect over the coming days.
Tributes today
To pay tribute to Her Majesty, 96-round gun salutes will be fired at Edinburgh Castle, and bells will toll across the country, with churches, chapels and cathedrals encouraged to open for prayers or a special service for mourners.
The Prime Minister and senior ministers will attend a public service of remembrance at St Paul’s in central London.
What happens now?
The new King and Queen – Charles and Camilla – will return to London today having stayed at Balmoral overnight on Thursday, and the new monarch is expected to address the nation on television this evening.
Despite his grief, duty calls for new sovereign Charles and his first audience as monarch with Prime Minister Liz Truss is expected to happen as soon as practically possible.
Charles will also meet the Earl Marshal – the Duke of Norfolk – who is in charge of the accession and the Queen’s funeral.
How long is the official mourning period?
An official mourning period of around 12-13 days follows the Queen's death, during which time preparations will be made for her state funeral, the government will confirm the official time.
There is a separate royal mourning period for members of the royal family and royal households which will be decided on by Charles. It is expected to last a month
When will the Queen's funeral take place?
We don't yet know for definite when Queen Elizabeth's funeral will be, but it's likely to 10 to 12 days after the Queen's death, so sometime around Monday 19th September.
The Royal family, heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in Westminster Abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.
The service will be televised, and a national two minutes’ silence is expected to be held.
The same day as the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for a televised committal service.
Later in the evening, there will be a private interment service with senior members of the royal family.
What is a state funeral?
The Queen will have a state funeral, a ceremony which is held for figures of great national importance and which is usually reserved for monarchs.
Despite this, in the past Queen Elizabeth did alter the rules to allow a state funeral for former Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Such funerals need parliamentary funding and approval, which ceremonial funerals, like that of Duke of Edinburgh in 2021, do not require.
READ MORE: Nation mourns Her Majesty the Queen as new King leads tributes
Will the day of the funeral be a national holiday?
It's believed that both the funeral and King Charles' coronation will be national holidays, although this is yet to be confirmed by the government and the Palace.
Even the London Stock Exchange will close on the day of the funeral.
Will the Queen's coffin lie in state?
The Queen’s coffin is due to lie in state to allow the public to pay their last respects.
Lying in state is usually reserved for sovereigns, current or past queen consorts, and sometimes former prime ministers.
During the formal occasion, the closed coffin is placed on view in the vast, medieval Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster.
The historic spectacle is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people.
The Queen’s death in Scotland means there could possibly be a second mini lying in state, most likely in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, which would allow the public to honour the monarch.
When will King Charles' coronation take place?
Charles became King immediately after Queen Elizabeth's death, but his coronation won't happen for while.
It's unknown at this point when Charles' coronation will be but is likely to be many months until it takes place.
A coronation is such a large state event that it's normally months in the planning.
Queen Elizabeth's coronation took place on the 2nd June 1953, 16 months after she had become Queen.
READ MORE: The Queen and her many Prime Ministers
Where will Queen Elizabeth be buried?
The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel at Windsor Castle, an annex to the main chapel – where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.
Philip’s coffin will move from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen’s.
Holidays at Balmoral
Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Prince Charles react as they watch an event at the Braemar Highland Gathering, September 2017
Her Majesty's ships
Queen Elizabeth, as Lord High Admiral, inspects her crew of 'pirates' aboard HMS 'Dido' in the Firth of Clyde, 1965
Sombre duties
The Queen talks to American relatives after laying a wreath at the memorial for the victims of the Lockerbie disaster, 1993
Silver Jubilee
Queen Elizabeth greets crowds of wellwishers in Scotland , as part of her Silver Jubilee Tour, May 1977
Royal garden parties
The Queen at the 2017 Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh
Musuem visits
Queen Elizabeth visits Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow following its £28 million refurbishment, 2006
Official openings
Queen Elizabeth attends the ceremonial opening of the Queensferry Crossing September 2017
Childhood visits to Scotland
Princess Elizabeth (left) and Princess Margaret arriving at Glamis with their mother, the Duchess of York, later Queen Elizabeth in August 1933
Commonwealth Games
Queen Elizabeth II reading a speech at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, 23rd July 2014
Hospital visits
Stan Mitchell from Stonehaven and Senior Physiotherapist Fiona Armstrong chat to The Queen, who opened the Kincardine Community Hospital at Stonehaven 1998
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