The Queen has held on to the throne for almost seven decades, far exceeding the rule of Empress of India Queen Victoria. She is now 94 and shows no sign of slowing down in the near or distant future. The monarch has also chosen not to relinquish her position until her death, raising questions about what might happen should the situation arise.
What happens when the Queen dies?
The Queen has remained in her position so long it would prove difficult to predict with certainty what would happen on her death.
But the death of a monarch will ripple both through public and private life, and officials have formed a plan.
The Queen’s death would start publicly with the word “bridge”.
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Coronation
Prince Charles’s accession is automatic and doesn’t require a coronation for him to rule in his mother’s place.
The Accession Council – made up of the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Privy Councillors, House of Lords Members, and high commissioners of Commonwealth realms – acknowledges and proclaims his position.
A coronation is a state event, not like a royal wedding, managed by the Government and attended by statesmen, and the Archbishop of Canterbury will crown the new king.
