This Is What Would Happen If The Queen Died Today

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Phillip and Elizabeth

The Queen has now been on the throne for 67 years, and shows few signs of slowing down now. She is the longest reigning monarch in the UK’s history. She has seen 13 Prime Ministers pass through Downing Street, and witnessed the passing of the British Empire and the rise of the Commonwealth.

But with her husband Prince Philip retiring from public duties in 2017, and her son Prince Charles taking on more of her overseas duties, people are looking at what could happen when the crown passes on.

This are the things to expect if the Queen were to die today;

  1. National mourning

The Queen’s death will trigger an official 12-day period of national mourning.

Union Jacks will be flown at half mast throughout the country and books of condolence will be opened at embassies across the world.

The London Stock Exchange will be closed for at least the day of the Queen’s funeral and potentially for several days – potentially costing the economy billions.

The flag at Buckingham Palace, London, flies at half mast as a mark of respect for King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

The Queen’s body will be taken to Parliament, where she will lie in state in Westminster Hall – like the Queen Mother in 2002 – until her funeral.

2. Media coverage

The licence fee-funded BBC will suspend all programming and screen BBC One coverage of the event.

If Her Majesty dies during the night, her death would reportedly not be announced until 8am, after which her portrait will be displayed on the screen accompanied by the national anthem – as happened following the death of Princess Diana in 1997.

Queens Speech 2016
News of the Queen’s death would not be reported until 8am if she dies in the night (Image: BBC)

Other channels are not required to interrupt regular scheduling, but almost certainly will.

The BBC will also suspend all comedy programming during the 12-day period of national mourning

3. The succession

As first in line to the throne, Prince Charles will automatically become King when the Queen dies as the throne is technically never vacant.

However, the accession council would need to be convened at St James’s Palace to formally declare Charles the king.

He would be asked to swear loyalty to Parliament and the Church of England in front of the council.

In turn, the Houses of Parliament will be recalled to swear loyalty to him.

The words to the National Anthem will be changed and new postage stamps and currency created to reflect Prince Charles’ ascension to the throne.

The only way Prince William would become king is if Prince Charles chooses to abdicate and pass the throne to him.

Britain's Prince Charles poses with his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, in this photograph taken in May 2016, released by Clarence House in London to mark the end of the year of celebrations for the Queen's 90th birthday, on December 17, 2016
Prince Charles would automatically succeed his mother as monarch (Image: REUTERS)

Charles has increased his workload since 2013 as the Queen’s has reduced in what appears to be a handover of the reins.

However, in 2016 found that only 53 per cent of people say they like Charles, compared to 77 per cent for the Queen.

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