70th Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Reign Raises Questions About the Royal Family

The United States seems to be as obsessed with the British Royal Family as the people of the UK. Maybe it is because the US has its origins in the UK? Maybe its because we enjoy a good soap opera and the British Royal Family is the biggest drama of all? Whatever the reasons, American seem to love all things Royal.

After the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, many are beginning to ask what happens when the Queen passes away? Prince Charles becomes king. A coronation ceremony is held a few months after the monarch takes the throne. The country will still need a ruler. Prince Charles’ siblings will be the first to kiss the ring of their new king. And the mourning period is usually 12 days long. So what will happen to the British Monarchy when Queen Elizabeth dies?

Prince Charles

The new king will begin his reign after Queen Elizabeth passes away, with a ceremonial speech and a tour of the UK. He will be expected to attend memorial services for his mother and meet with devolved government leaders, host civic receptions, and meet ordinary citizens. No, he won’t be riding in a car. He will greet people in public, and meet them face-to-face.

Buckingham Palace

The British monarchy is set to undergo a lengthy mourning period following Queen Elizabeth’s death. After the Queen passes away, the government will become involved in the transition. Members of parliament will gather to swear allegiance to the new monarch. British currency will be replaced with an image of the new monarch. On top of all this, all flags will fly at half mast across Whitehall.

Operation London Bridge

Operation London Bridge, code for “London Bridge is down,” is a plan for the United Kingdom after Queen Elizabeth II dies. It includes everything from the announcement of her death to details of her state funeral. Though the plan is secret, the consequences of its implementation will affect the British public as a whole. Below are some key facts to know about this plan. Read on for more information.

12-day mourning period

During the period of mourning, Britain will be closed. The Prime Minister will be informed on the morning of the day of the Queen’s funeral, and news will be circulated to all 36 Commonwealth nations and world leaders. The BBC and other channels will halt comedy and entertainment programming during the time, but they are not required to alter their normal schedules. In the event of the Queen’s death, Prince Charles would automatically become king, and the Houses of Parliament will be called to swear their allegiance to the new king.

Coronation ceremony

The Coronation ceremony for the British Monarchy is usually held several months after the death of the reigning monarch. This is to allow for the mourning process to come to a close, and the ceremony itself is a joyous occasion. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953, three months after the monarch’s accession to the throne. The day was announced nearly a year in advance and the coronation ceremony itself took five months to prepare.

Unanswered questions:

Queen Elizabeth is an incredibly popular monarch and the longest serving on in the UK’s history.
Prince Charles — the Heir Apparent — has been incredibly controversial over the years. Furthermore, his wife remains despised by many British citizens in light of the way Princess Camilla replaced Princess Diana.
Because of how controversial Charles, is it possible that arrangements will be made to skip him and go to William in order to preserve the monarchy?

Time will only tell what will happen to the Royal Family.

RELATED: