Events across the country were cancelled at the weekend as a show of respect after the Queen’s death was announced on Thursday evening. A 10-day period of national mourning has followed, with the funeral to take place on Monday 19 September.
There is no obligation for organisers to cancel planned events during the national mourning period or on the bank holiday, but many have done so anyway. Schools, most businesses and shops are expected to close next Monday.
What do we know about the events happening over the next week?
Football
Most football matches across the UK were postponed over the weekend.
The Premier League has still not established when football games will resume, though teams are said to be hoping that matches may resume this weekend, with no fixtures to be held on the day of the Queen’s funeral. There may be additional challenges for teams based in London due to policing capacity in the city as crowds arrive to attend the funeral and pay their respects.
The English football league programme is due to recommence on Tuesday, although exact details remain unclear, while the National League and Women’s Super League resume on Monday.
The Scottish Professional Football League has postponed matches until Saturday. Matches will resume in Northern Ireland on Tuesday.
Welsh Rugby Union matches resumed on Monday, and any fixtures scheduled for the day of the funeral will be rescheduled. In the interim period, teams are requested to wear a black armband and observe two minutes’ silence. Scottish rugby matches also resumed on Monday. The Rugby Football Union in England did not postpone matches over the weekend, although decisions were left up to individual clubs. Guidance on the remainder of the national mourning period is yet to be published.
Cricket matches in England and Wales resumed on Saturday after pausing on Friday. A minute’s silence is being observed at all matches followed by the national anthem. Players and coaches will wear black armbands, while branded messaging in stadiums has been replaced with a message commemorating the Queen.
Fashion
London fashion week is still taking place between 16 and 20 September. However, several designers have cancelled their shows. Burberry will no longer hold its show on Saturday, while Claudie Pierlot and Raf Simons have also cancelled events. All non-essential events, including parties, have been cancelled and the British Fashion Council has recommended that shows on the day of the funeral be rescheduled. Designers have been asked to “respect the mood of the nation and period of national mourning”.
Several fashion retailers, including Burberry, Selfridges, Liberty, End Clothing and French Connection, closed their stores on 9 September but reopened the following day. Many retailers are expected to close on the day of the funeral.
Culture
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has announced its concerts in London this week will take place but will now begin with the national anthem.
The Natural History Museum, Science Museum and National Gallery are closed all day on Monday.
The Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre has said that theatres are expected to remain open during the national mourning period, with further instruction to follow regarding the day of the funeral, though scheduled performances are expected to go ahead in many places. Theatres across the UK are dimming their lights at 7pm for two minutes each evening as a mark of respect, which is theatre’s traditional way to honour those that have passed. The National Theatre has confirmed that no performances will be held on 19 September, and has said it will email all ticket-holders affected about their bookings.
The BBC has cancelled BBC Radio 2 Live in Leeds, which was scheduled to take place from 17 to 18 September with artists including Robbie Williams, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Tears for Fears, Kaiser Chiefs and George Ezra.
Entertainment
The Duchess of Sussex has paused the release of the fourth episode of her Spotify podcast, Archetypes, for the duration of the mourning period for the Queen.
Strikes
Planned strikes by rail and postal workers who were due to take action over a long-running dispute about pay, jobs and conditions between 15 and 17 September have been postponed.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and the train drivers’ union Aslef also suspended their strikes.
The Royal College of Nurses has confirmed it will not ballot members over strike action on 15 September, in response to the government failing to offer an above-inflation pay rise this year.
Trade unions postponed the annual congress, which was due to take place in Brighton between 11 and 14 September, until later this autumn.
A three-day strike by employees of the Reach newspaper company, which runs many of the UK’s regional titles, has been postponed from Wednesday to Friday, 14 to 16 September, until after the funeral of the Queen on 19 September.
Post
Congratulatory messages on behalf of the monarch to people who reach their 100th birthday or couples marking milestone anniversaries have been temporarily paused, with no date set for their resumption.
