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Queen Elizabeth death: A day-to-day guide on processions through Scotland and London as part of 'Operation Unicorn'

Sep 13, 2022, 21:48 IST
Insider
The Queen's coffin will make multiple stops across Scotland and the UK.Google Maps; WPA Pool/Getty Images
  • The Queen's death has launched "Operation Unicorn," a plan that details her coffin's route.
  • The Queen's body is currently in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the public can pay their respects.
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Queen Elizabeth's coffin is currently at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, where it will lie at rest before being moved to London on Tuesday evening.

Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands on Thursday. She was 96.

From Balmoral, the Queen's body was driven in a hearse 102 miles to Edinburgh, with Princess Anne following in the car behind. It was the first journey of many that were set in motion as part of a plan named "Operation Unicorn," which details the exact route her coffin will take before her September 19 funeral.

As Insider previously reported, arrangements for handling the Queen's death were originally named "Operation London Bridge" if she died in England and "Operation Unicorn" if it happened in Scotland. The mythical creature is the country's national animal, according to the National Trust for Scotland.

Here is a day-by-day look at all the stops included in Operation Unicorn.

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September 11: The Queen's hearse made 5 stops in Scotland

The Queen's body was driven from Balmoral Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the royal family's official residence in Edinburgh on Sunday, September 11. The hearse stopped briefly at three points — in Ballater, Aberdeen, and Dundee — where the public were invited to pay their respects, The Telegraph reported.

After arriving in Edinburgh, Anne and other members of the royal family gathered outside the palace as the Queen's coffin was delivered. Princess Anne curtsied as the coffin was carried inside.

A close up on Princess Anne as she curtsies to her mother's coffin.AARON CHOWN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The coffin remained in the palace's Throne Room until the following day, when it was delivered to St Giles' Cathedral.

September 12 - 13: King Charles led a procession from the palace to St Giles'

On Monday, King Charles led a procession behind the Queen's coffin as it was transported from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile.

A map showing the procession route down the Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral.Google Maps/Skitch

Charles and members of the royal family attended a Service of Thanksgiving followed by vigil at the cathedral, where the king and his siblings stood guard around the coffin.

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On Monday afternoon, an estimated 20,000 mourners joined a mile-long queue to pay their respects to the monarch at St Giles' Cathedral, according to the BBC. People lined up overnight to visit the coffin before it is transported to London. The coffin will travel from Edinburgh Airport via RAF aircraft and will be accompanied by Princess Anne, according to a palace press release.

A map showing the journey the Queen's coffin will take from Edinburgh to London.Google Maps

The Queen's coffin will lie at rest in Buckingham Palace's Bow Room overnight, the release states.

September 14: A procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

On Wednesday, a procession will take place from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where the Queen's body will remain for five days.

After the arrival of the coffin, the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service attended by the king and members of the royal family, the press release states.

September 15 - 18: The public are invited to pay their respects

The coffin will be guarded 24 hours per day by soldiers from units that serve the Royal Household, according to BBC News. During this time, the public are invited to visit and pay their respects.

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Recent guidance from the UK government said queues at Westminster are expected to be "very long," adding that visitors "will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down, as the queue will keep moving."

September 19: The Queen's funeral

The monarch's funeral will take place on Monday, September 19 at Westminster Abbey, according to a press release. Although it is not yet known how many people will be in attendance, the venue can hold up to 2,000 guests, according to Sky News, and various world leaders are expected to have been invited. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have received two invitations, according to CNN.

The final procession will take place after the funeral service. The Queen's coffin will travel in a procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch before finally being taken to St George's Chapel in Windsor, where Her Majesty will be buried, according to the palace.

She will be laid to rest at St George's Chapel next to her husband Philip.

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