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Operation Menai Bridge Explained – The Plans For King Charles’ Death
Operation Menai Bridge, the plan for what will happen in the event of King Charles III‘s death, has been announced.
Since the king’s diagnosis of cancer last year, people have had serious questions about what could happen in the event of his passing.
It turns out there are a whole load of special code names that will be used upon the death of royal family members.
And now, Operation Menai Bridge, the plan for what will happen, has been announced.
In 2021, Prince Philip sadly died, and Operation Forth Bridge (the code name for the strict set of official procedures put in place after his death) began.
But it transpires that all of the royal family members have these contingency plans in place.
In The Crown series four, the queen’s private secretary says: “We have contingency plans in place for all members of the royal family.”
“We’re all bridges; the choice of name was to suggest a link between this life and the next.”
So what are the names of these ‘bridge’ operations?
The Queen: London Bridge
One of the earliest individuals beyond the royal family to receive the news of her passing was the Prime Minister, who was informed by the queen’s private secretary.
Subsequently, a formal announcement of her demise was dispatched to global news agencies, such as the Press Association.
Following this protocol, a solemnly attired footman emerged from Buckingham Palace and affixed a black-bordered notice to the gates.
Major television networks halted their scheduled programming and, in its place, broadcast tributes and retrospectives of her life.
Similarly, newspapers had their obituaries prepared in advance, ready for publication.
Prince Philip: Forth Bridge
Operation Forth Bridge had been meticulously devised and regularly updated over the years by Prince Philip, the queen, and the palace staff.
Its first phase involved Buckingham Palace issuing an official statement to the BBC and Press Association announcing Prince Philip’s demise, followed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivering a tribute speech at Downing Street.
Subsequently, the nation entered a period of national mourning, characterized by the lowering of flags to half-mast and the donning of black attire by newsreaders and television presenters.
Prince Philip, before his passing, purportedly expressed a wish for a private funeral service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, reminiscent of a military ceremony.
He eschewed the grandeur of a state funeral and lying in state, with his body resting in a private chapel at Windsor Castle.
Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, only 30 individuals were permitted to attend the funeral in person, with no public processions.
Additionally, as a precautionary measure, people were discouraged from visiting the royal residences.
Prince Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, shares his code name with the Forth Bridge, a notable landmark in Scotland near Edinburgh.
The Queen Mother: Tay Bridge
In The Crown, the queen mentions that the code name for her mother’s passing is Tay Bridge.
The Queen Mother passed away in 2002, and her funeral arrangements were covered under ‘Operation Tay Bridge.’
Nearly one million individuals lined the streets to pay their respects during her funeral procession.
During the funeral, her coffin was carried on a gun carriage adorned with her personal standard, escorted by 1,600 armed forces members, with all male members of the royal family following closely behind.
‘Operation Tay Bridge’ had reportedly been rehearsed regularly for 22 years leading up to her passing.
Interestingly, when Princess Diana tragically passed away while the Queen Mother was still alive, the royal family had to swiftly implement ‘Operation Tay Bridge’ for Diana’s funeral.
This decision was made due to the sudden nature of Diana’s death and the extensive rehearsal already in place for ‘Operation Tay Bridge.’
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle’s codes
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle don’t have code names for their death, but they do have royal code names.
According to the Daily Star, Prince William and Middleton’s codenames are ‘Danny Collins’ and ‘Daphne Clark,’ while Prince Harry and Markle’s are ‘David Stevens’ and ‘Davina Scott.’
The Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge’s code names have the initials ‘DC’.
Similarly, Prince Harry and Markle are officially known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and hence, the code names both carry the initials ‘DS.’
A royal source reveals: “If anyone got hold of a phone belonging to a royal aide or security team member, they won’t find Harry Windsor and Meghan’s names in it.
“It is far too risky in the wrong hands. They get given code names, but they are changed regularly for obvious reasons.”
King Charles: Menai Bridge
King Charles was the Prince of Wales, and the Menai Suspension Bridge is a Welsh bridge connecting the island of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland.
Indeed, there’s a notable reference to it in The Crown during an episode centred on King Charles’s close call with an avalanche.
In the scene, the queen’s secretary informs her about King Charles and somewhat bluntly remarks: “We have contingency plans for all members of the royal family, including Menai Bridge. It’s the designated code name for the event of the Prince of Wales’s passing.”
King Charles holds the record as the longest-serving Prince of Wales, with a tenure of 64 years and 44 days, and is also the oldest individual to have held the position.
He was bestowed with the title at the age of nine following his mother’s accession, and his investiture ceremony took place in Wales in July 1969, when he was 20 years old.
During his time as Prince of Wales, King Charles dedicated himself to learning Welsh, spending a term at the University College of Wales.
He often incorporates Welsh phrases into his speeches when visiting the country.
Additionally, King Charles made it a tradition to visit Wales every summer during his tenure as Prince of Wales, engaging in a week-long series of events known as Wales Week.
Former Royal Protection Officer Simon Morgan suggests that preparations for King Charles’s funeral commenced shortly after he ascended to the throne – or so it’s claimed.
“Unfortunately, as of tomorrow morning, planning for Operation Menai Bridge will start in earnest,” Morgan told Today on September 20, 2022, and added that: “Even the King said in his acceptance that he will take this role for as long as life allows him to.
“He is 73 years of age, it’s got to be in the back of your mind, and from the police, we’ve got to start planning again for the future.”
As of now, details regarding Operation Menai Bridge have not been disclosed, but they are anticipated to closely resemble those of Operation London Bridge, the designated protocol for the queen’s passing.
This suggests that upon King Charles’ passing, the initial steps will involve informing his immediate family, followed by notification of the Prime Minister.
Subsequently, the news will be disseminated to Commonwealth nations and governments where the King serves as head of state, culminating in an announcement to the Press Association.
Once King Charles dies, a note will be pinned to the gates of Buckingham Palace. We saw this happen when Queen Elizabeth passed.
Flags will also be lowered to half-mast, mirroring the gesture observed in honor of the queen.
Prince William’s coronation is not expected to occur until several months after his father’s passing. However, he would assume the role of king immediately upon King Charles’s death.
It is anticipated that Prince William will deliver an address to the nation on the same day and promptly commence meetings with government officials.
Concurrently, the body of King Charles will be transferred from Buckingham Palace’s throne room to Westminster Hall, where he will lie in state, similar to the process observed for the queen.
King Charles’ funeral is scheduled to occur approximately nine days after his passing, following a similar timeframe to the queen’s funeral, which took place 11 days after her death.
Subsequently, he will be laid to rest in the ‘royal vault’ located within the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.
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