She calls me “Operation Menai Bridge” the very detailed plan for the funeral of King Charles III. Just like it happened with Queen Elizabeth, who chose the iconic London Bridge, the famous London bridge, for its code name, the monarch chose a Welsh bridge. After all, Charles has already gone down in history for having broken every record as Prince of Wales (more than 64 years waiting to ascend the throne and was also the longest to hold the title). But he distances himself from his mother in one detail: his will be a state funeral… quietly.
A code name for King Charles III’s top-secret plans
From ancient times, the code is decided to avoid the leakage of important details about what will happen immediately after the sad event. There BBC has the exclusive right to the announcement: the first to talk about it will be the journalists of the state broadcaster, but only after all the Royals, the Prime Minister and several ministers have been notified by telephone. And hopefully also her son Harry, who only found out about grandmother Elizabeth from online news.
King Charles III doesn’t want extravagant funerals
We will immediately begin to finalize the preparations for the funeral, already drawn up in collaboration with the “deceased”. Like his father Philip and his mother Elizabeth, Charles also chose the hymns and music that will be included in the funeral rite, and personally approved the route that his coffin will take from Buckingham Palace and Westminster. But the king insisted on a detail that surprised no one at court: even from the afterlife he will want to set an example by avoiding waste, and asked to reduce the number of guests in Westminster.
Charles and Camilla at Sandringham, February 2024 (Getty Images)
An anti-gaffe operation, designed to avoid errors
In the ten days from the official announcement, and during the period of mourning, up until the funeral, a series of events prepared for years will be set in motion, and periodically updated to avoid possible gaffes and technical or logistical problems. From the display of the body to the public (over 300 thousand people went to pay homage to Elizabeth first in Edinburgh and then in London) to the management of the queues of the subjects, up to the completion of the list of illustrious guests at Westminster Abbey (from Elizabeth ce there were as many as two thousand).
“God Save The King!” But will his name be William?
As happened when Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022, the new king will be announced immediately. He might be called William V or choose one of the other first names given to the prince at his birth – Arthur, Philip, Louis. What is certain is that the new sovereign he will deliver an important speech and, in paying homage to his father, he will also have to give an idea of the style that will shape his reign.
William and Kate at the Coronation of Charles and Camilla, Westminster, 6 May 2023 (Getty Images)
Kate Middleton will become Queen Catherine
Upon accession to the throne, the change of name will be certain for the current Princess of Wales: when she assumes the title of Queen Consort, King William’s wife will leave behind the informal Kate and ask to be called the most regal Catherine. And also for his Coronationhighly telegenic, the plans have already been finalized for years: Middleton will not be a queen regnant, but William V’s reign will focus entirely on her.
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