Members of the Royal Family are gathering at Balmoral this afternoon (Thursday, September 8) after the Queen's health deteriorated. Buckingham Palace said in a statement at 12.32pm that royal doctors were concerned for Her Majesty's health.
Prince Charles, Camilla and Prince William have all travelled to the Queen's Scottish estate where Her Majesty had been staying. The statement said the head of state was comfortable and her royal physicians recommended she remain under medical supervision.
The monarch, 96, pulled out of a virtual Privy Council on Wednesday, a day after appointing Liz Truss as PM at Balmoral Castle. A special strategy has been put in place if the queen were to pass away in Scotland, Edinburgh Live reports.
Read more: Queen under medical supervision after concerns for her health - updates
Details of 'Operation Unicorn' emerged in 2019, and they outline the role Edinburgh would play if the Queen died in Scotland. There is a separate plan in place if the Queen dies while she is resident in London, known as "Operation London Bridge". That protocol is outlined here.
If the Queen were to die at her retreat in Balmoral, her body would be brought to Holyrood Palace. All business would be suspended in the Scottish Parliament and the funeral would take place within ten days of her death.
The Palace, along with the Scottish Parliament and St Giles' Cathedral would become the main focus for the public and the world's media. Her coffin would then be carried to St Giles Cathedral where the Queen would lie in state.
Large numbers of people would be expected to sign a book of condolence at Holyrood. The Queen's coffin would be placed on a royal train at Waverley station and taken south to London, where the funeral would be held.
A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said: "The existence of plans for a future change of reign are a matter of public record."
A code phrase has been used in the past for the death of a monarch, and in the case of Operation London Bridge it would be "London Bridge is down." This is what civil servants will tell the Prime Minister on a secure line.
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