A soldier has revealed how he was put on alert for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on the day she met the UK's former Prime Minister, Liz Truss.
On the 6 September Victoria Cross hero Johnson Beharry, 43, revealed that he received correspondence from royal officials asking about his availability in the event of the long-reigning monarch's death.
While he presumed this email was only a protocol, just a mere 24-hours later, he received a follow-up call.
Just a day later, the Queen died and the UK went into a period of national mourning and Operation London Bridge - the plan for the Queen's funeral and the days after her death - began.
Queen Elizabeth's last official engagement was with the then new Prime Minister Liz Truss, where a picture of the monarch with the incoming leader was taken.
On September 7, a virtual meeting with the Privy Council was postponed on her doctor’s orders.
She died at 3.10pm the following day.
Johnson - who won Britain’s highest and and most prestigious military honour for his bravery in Iraq - says he always knew about Operation London Bridge, and had previously 'informally' agreed to be a part of it.
Speaking about why he was a part of the plan for after her death, Johnson told The Sun on Sunday: “Her Majesty was like a gran to me.
“Without the Queen I wouldn’t have the life I have now."
As a member of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, he always knew about Operation London Bridge, but was never told in detail what would be expected of him.
The day before the Queen died in a phone call with Operation London Bridge officials, Johnson said he would do anything if they needed him.
However, the soldier thought nothing more of the conversation as he revealed: "I thought it was simply them updating the process.”
When Her Majesty died the next day, Johnson has revealed that he played an important role in the funeral.
Just three days before the funeral, he and his wife Mallissa were invited to share a private moment while the Queen was lying in state, which he described as 'very emotional', adding that he felt his chest getting and feeling very heavy.
He stayed up all night before the funeral to prepare his uniform for the big day.
And upon arriving at Westminster Abbey for the funeral, he said he tried very hard to keep calm as he pushed Keith Payne VC in his wheelchair.
Johnson, who serves with the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, also opened up about how he did not know that US President Joe Biden was behind him as they made their entrance to the historic service.
Johnson - who met the Queen in 2005 when he was just 25-years-old - was awarded the Victoria Cross for two acts of heroism in Iraq, when he saved around 30 comrades, suffering life-threatening brain injuries.
The medal is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system, and is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces.
Recalling the 'scariest day' of his life, he revealed just how warm and comforting the Queen was to him as he received his award.
He said that she showed a genuinely concerned towards him and his family, comparing Prince George to his son Aidan.
The soldier also added that the Queen was like a "gran replacement" for him in the way that she treated him with respect every time they met.
The Victoria Cross hero said that it was an 'privilege' to have served for Queen Elizabeth II - whom he met numerous amounts of times - and to have been present for the funeral.
Next week, Johnson will be at the Cenotaph in Whitehall with his regiment to mark Remembrance Sunday.
