Inside Operation London Bridge: The plan for what happens after the Queen dies

Queen Elizabeth passed away on September 8 at the age of 96, ending a 70-year reign as monarch. She was the world’s longest-serving monarch.

It’s a sad time, but one that the Crown has been preparing for since the 1960s. The plan for what to do after Elizabeth’s death is called Operation London Bridge, and the steps that will be taken now that the Queen has died are strictly controlled. Here’s what to expect:

The call

It starts with a phone call. At the time of the Queen’s death, Sir Edward Young, her private secretary, called the Prime Minister and said “London Bridge is down.” It was just on September 6 that Elizabeth met with and appointed newly installed U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss following the resignation of Boris Johnson, who bid his farewell to the Queen earlier that day.

The notifications

After the Prime Minister had been alerted, news went out to the 15 governments where the Queen was still head of state, including Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Canada, and the Bahamas. After that, officials in the 38 other nations in the Commonwealth were alerted to the news.

A footman dressed in black pinned an official notice to the gates of Buckingham Palace.

The alarm

At the BBC, there’s an alarm that signals national emergencies. Many who work there had no idea what it sounds like, but it went off when the Queen died. At that point, the BBC’s logo, which is usually red, was changed to black. And all anchors changed into black suits and ties.

That logo change occurred a little before 9:45 a.m. ET.

The transition of power

Flags were lowered to half-mast and Prince Charles unofficially became king immediately upon Elizabeth’s death. He is expected to make his first speech as head of state as early as this evening, though that has not been formally announced.

On September 9, flags will be raised again and at 11:00 a.m. local time, Charles will officially become king and Camilla will become the U.K.’s queen.

He’ll then undertake a tour of the U.K., stopping in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales to attend services. While that takes place, Westminster Hall will be prepped for Elizabeth’s funeral.

The funeral

Four days after Elizabeth’s death, there will be a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Elizabeth will lie in state for four days, and she will be be buried nine days after her passing.

Two thousand invited guests, largely heads of state, will attend in person. The funeral will be broadcast globally.

Elizabeth is expected to then be buried next to her late husband, Prince Philip, and her father, King George VI.

There’s much more to Operation London Bridge, which is an incredibly detailed preparation for the monarch’s passing.

For instance, because Elizabeth died at Balmoral, her body will first lie in Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, before being carried up the Royal Mile to St. Giles’s Cathedral.

Afterward, it will be put on the Royal to return to London. The BBC will also cancel all comedy shows for 12 days following her death.

And, of course, the words to the national anthem have now been changed to “God Save the King.”

Queen Elizabeth II just died. Here’s what will happen to her $500 million fortune

Her Majesty leaves behind over $500 million in personal assets from her 70 years on the throne, which Prince Charles will inherit when he is crowned king.

Though that may seem straightforward, the Queen’s fortune—and what happens to it now—is complex; much of what is seen to be owned by her actually belongs to the so-called Royal Firm, the $28 billion empire that members of the British royal family like King George VI and Prince Philip once referred to as “the family business.”

Here is a breakdown of what will happen with the Queen’s fortune now that she has died.

How does the Queen get paid?

The Queen received income through a taxpayer fund known as the Sovereign Grant, which is paid annually to the British royal family. It originates from an agreement made by King George III to surrender his income from Parliament in order to receive a fixed annual payment for himself and future generations of the royal family. Originally known as the Civil List, it was replaced by the Sovereign Grant in 2012.

This grant amount was set to just over 86 million pounds in 2021 and 2022. These funds are allocated toward official travel, property maintenance, and operating or maintenance costs of the Queen’s household—Buckingham Palace.

But the Queen doesn’t just receive an annual salary.

The Royal Firm: a $28 billion empire

The Firm, also known as the Monarchy PLC, is a group of senior members and public faces of the House of Windsor, the reigning royal family that the Queen was the head of. Together, they operate what can be considered a global business empire that pumps hundreds of millions of pounds into the United Kingdom’s economy every year through televised events and tourism.

Her Majesty and seven other royals are members of the Firm: Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall; Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Anne, the Queen’s daughter; and Prince Edward, the Queen’s youngest son, and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.

The monarchy holds nearly $28 billion in real estate assets as of 2021, which cannot be sold, according to Forbes. That includes:

• The Crown Estate: $19.5 billion

• Buckingham Palace: $4.9 billion

• The Duchy of Cornwall: $1.3 billion

• The Duchy of Lancaster: $748 million

• Kensington Palace: $630 million

• The Crown Estate of Scotland: $592 million

Though the family doesn’t personally profit from the business, the purpose is to boost the economy, which can in turn provide wealth to the Windsors through free media coverage and royal warrants—essentially “stamps of approval” on high-end products, Forbes reports—which boost revenue for holders of the warrant.

The Crown Estate

The Crown Estate is a collection of lands and holdings belonging to the British monarchy, which was held by Queen Elizabeth II. But this isn’t private property she owned herself; it is run by a semi-independent public board. In June, the Crown Estate announced a $312.7 million net revenue profit for the 2021–2022 financial year, $43 million more than the year before.

“In what has been another year of change and disruption, our diverse portfolio continues to demonstrate its strength and resilience through our return to the public purse,” Dan Labbad, chief executive of the Crown Estate, said in the announcement.

The funding for the Sovereign Grant comes from a percentage of the profits of the revenue, which was initially set at 15%, according to the Royal Household. The grant was increased in 2017–2018 to 25% to support the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace, and is supposed to be reduced back to 15% by 2028.

The grant is used to pay for official expenses including payroll for staff, security, travel, housekeeping, and maintenance. But the private expenses of the Queen and her extended family are paid for through a separate allowance called the Privy Purse.

The Privy Purse

The Queen’s Privy Purse is essentially a portfolio of properties and assets that have been held in trust dating back to the 14th century, which provides private income to the Majesty from the Duchy of Lancaster.

“At the end of March 2022, the Duchy of Lancaster had $652.8 million of net assets under its control, delivering a net surplus of $24 million. These take the form of property and financial assets,” says a statement on the Duchy of Lancaster website.

The net assets aren’t paid directly to the Queen, but the $24 million in excess funds are. This funding is taxed and is used mainly to cover expenses not already covered by the Sovereign Grant.

Her Majesty’s Personal Assets

The Queen has accumulated over $500 million in personal assets, largely due to her investments, art collection, jewelry, and real estate holdings, which includes the Sandringham House and the Balmoral Castle, according to Business Insider. Now that she’s died, most of her personal assets will be passed down to Prince Charles when he takes the throne.

Her Majesty also inherited nearly $70 million from the Queen Mother when she died in 2002, including investments in paintings, a stamp collection, fine china, jewels, horses, and even a valuable Faberge egg collection. Paintings in the collection include works by Monet, Nash, and Carl Fabergé.

There is a special legal clause in place that exempts the Queen from paying inheritance tax on the estate left by her mother. This clause will apply to Prince Charles too. Inheritance from sovereign to sovereign is exempt from the 40% inheritance tax, as was agreed with the former Prime Minister John Major in 1993 to avoid erosion of the royal family’s wealth.

But Prince Charles still won’t directly inherit the $28 billion empire which includes the estate of Scotland, the Crown Estate, the Duchy of Lancaster, the Duchy of Cornwall, and the Buckingham and Kensington Palaces. He will only receive the personal assets specifically designated to him by Queen Elizabeth II.

After Queen Elizabeth’s death, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and major companies all sent out condolences. Here’s what they said

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 at age 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The Queen, who assumed the throne in 1953, was the U.K.’s longest-serving monarch with a reign spanning seven decades and 15 prime ministers.

An outpouring of condolences for the royal family immediately accompanied Buckingham Palace’s announcement of her passing, with some of the world’s most powerful companies and public figures paying tribute.

Here’s how the international business community responded to Her Majesty’s death.

Aston Martin

The U.K.-headquartered luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin posted a tribute to Elizabeth on September 8.

“Aston Martin is deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty The Queen,” the company tweeted from its official account. “The Queen has dedicated her life to public service, and throughout her long reign as a passionate champion for British culture, enterprise and innovation. We were honoured she visited Aston Martin in 1966.”

Tesco

The British grocery giant Tesco, one of the world’s biggest companies, shared its own tribute on September 8.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen,” the company tweeted from its official account. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family, as we mourn the loss of our longest-serving British monarch. We are indebted to her dedicated service to this country.”

Cisco

U.S.-headquartered tech conglomerate Cisco also shared a statement about the Queen’s death.

“We’re deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal family,” the company tweeted from its official account. “Rest in peace your majesty.”

Formula 1

The London-headquartered Formula 1 tweeted a statement on September 8 as well.

“Formula 1 mourns the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” the company wrote. “For more than seven decades she dedicated her life to public service with dignity and devotion and inspired so many around the world.”

Manchester United

Professional soccer team Manchester United, one of the world’s best-known sports teams, offered its own tribute on September 8.

“Manchester United shares the sorrow of the entire nation following the announcement from Buckingham Palace on the passing of Her Royal Highness The Queen Elizabeth II,” wrote the team’s official Twitter account.

Dior

Dior expressed its sadness joining others mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Twitter.

“The House is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, an unwavering symbol of grace, dignity and dedication. All our thoughts are with the @RoyalFamily and our British friends.”

Louis Vuitton

French luxury brand Louis Vuitton offered its condolences to the royal family along with declaring its admiration of Queen Elizabeth II in a statement posted to Twitter.

“The LVMH Group sends its sincere condoleances to the @RoyalFamily, the people across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, for the passing of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II. Her constant and strong sense of duty will remain an inspiration throughout the world.”

Jeff Bezos

It’s not only corporate accounts paying tribute to the Queen. Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos posted his own statement on September 8, responding to a tweet from former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

“I can think of no one who better personified duty,” wrote Bezos. “My deepest condolences to all the Brits mourning her passing today.”

Bill Gates

Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates also tweeted in response to the news.

“I feel honored to have met HM Queen Elizabeth, and I am very sad to hear of her passing,” he wrote. “My deepest condolences to the Royal Family and the British people.”