WHAT TO EXPECT OVER THE NEXT TEN DAYS
DAY 1: TODAY
■ 10am Meeting of the Accession Council at St James’s Palace. Privy Counsellors gather without Charles and proclaim him King. ■ Then King takes oath. ■ 11am Trumpeters play as public proclamation of new sovereign is read from St James’s Palace balcony by Garter King of Arms. ■ Union flags go back up to full-mast at 1pm and remain there for 24 hours. ■ Charles holds audiences with Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
DAY 2: TOMORROW
■ Mourners line the 100-mile route as Queen’s coffin is driven from Balmoral to Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
THE PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE
■ Coffin will rest overnight in oak-panelled Throne Room, as books of condolence are opened for members of the public. ■ Proclamations read in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland devolved parliaments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
DAY 3: MONDAY SEPT 12
■ Coffin moves to St Giles’ Cathedral, processing along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. ■ Members of public may get chance to pay respects by filing past coffin as the Queen lies in state in St Giles’.
■ Royals expected to attend service and stand guard around coffin in a ceremony known as Vigil of the Princes.
■ House of Commons and House of Lords come together in Westminster for a Motion of Condolence which King could attend.
■ Charles III follows Edinburgh vigil with visits at some stage to Wales and Northern Ireland, known as Operation Spring Tide.
DAY 4: TUESDAY SEPT 13
■ Queen’s coffin expected to be flown to London. ■ A hearse will transport her to Buckingham Palace, as streets are lined with mourners. ■ Guard of Honour from the King’s Guard greets coffin at the Grand Entrance. ■ The Bow Room will host the coffin initially, where the King and other royals can mourn. ■ Then coffin will be moved to Throne Room where devoted palace staff can pay their respects.
■ Rehearsal for procession of the coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster takes place.
DAY 5: WEDNESDAY SEPT 14
■ Operation Marquee: The Queen’s body is expected to lie in state at Palace of Westminster for four days
■ 2.30pm Coffin pulled by gun carriage taken on ceremonial procession through London as Big Ben tolls, with royals likely to be walking behind in procession. ■ 3pm Coffin placed on a catafalque in Westminster Hall with Crown Jewels placed on top. ■ Archbishop of Canterbury conducts a short service following coffin’s arrival. ■ Lying-in-state period begins, with a continuous vigil of King’s Guards. ■ Over four days, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to file past the coffin to pay respects, as happened for the Queen Mother in 2002. ■ Senior royals also expected to pay their own moving tribute – standing guard again at some stage around the coffin in another Vigil of the Princes.
DAY 6: THURSDAY SEPT 15
■ The Queen continues to lie in state with a rehearsal likely to take place for the State Funeral procession.
DAYS 7 & 8: FRIDAY SEPT 16 AND SATURDAY SEPT 17
■ Lying-in-state period continues. Heads of state arrive in London for the funeral. ■ King likely to visit Cardiff.
■ King due to meet military and police leaders, and Governors General, at Buckingham Palace.
DAY 9: SUNDAY SEPT 18
■ Final day of lying in state.
■ Evening reception at Lancaster House for funeral guests including heads of state, Governors General, realm prime ministers and other dignitaries.
■ Foreign royals and Governors General invited to pay their respects. ■ King holds audience with the Prime Minister.
DAY 10: MONDAY SEPT 19
STATE FUNERAL
■The Queen’s State Funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey in central London.
■ Plans, yet to be formally approved, are for the Queen’s coffin to process on a gun carriage to the abbey, pulled by naval ratings - sailors – using ropes rather than horses.
■Senior family members are expected to poignantly follow behind – just as they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Duke of Edinburgh.
■Military personnel will line the streets and also join the procession.
■Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.
■Service will be televised, and a national two minutes’ silence is expected to be held.
■On 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.