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The incredibly detailed plan of action in the event of the Queen’s death have been revealed.

The arrangements for the Queen’s funeral have been in the making since the 1960s and until now have remained a strict secret, codenamed Operation London Bridge. The plans cover everything from her undertaker's name to the length of gunfire salute in her honour.

(Image: Jeff Pitt)

Queen Elizabeth, 90, has been healthy at recent public apperances. But today, the news of the extensive procedure in place have been unveiled.

Her last hours are likely to be overseen by her senior doctor, gastroenterologist Professor Huw Thomas, who will control access to her room and help decide what information should be made public.

According to a report, in the first instance Sir Christopher Geidt, the Queen’s private secretary, will make contact with the Prime Minister with the words ‘London Bridge is down’, informing them the monarch has passed away.

The codeword is in place to stop switchboard operators receiving the news ahead of those in power.

This will then start a chain of events.

The Foreign Office will tell the 15 governments outside the UK where the Queen is also the head of state, and the 36 other nations of the Commonwealth for whom she has served as a figurehead.

Media outlets will receive the news via an update from the Press Association.

It will then be announced to the public in a newsflash after newspapers and television and radio stations have been told.

BBC 1, 2, and 4, along with the network's radio broadcasts, will be interrupted with the words: “From London this is the BBC.”

At commercial radio stations, a blue “obit light” will glow to tell DJs to play appropriate music and go to news at the next available moment.

At Buckingham Palace, a footman will pin a black-edged notice to the gates and the palace website will be transformed into a single page showing the same text.

Both houses of parliament will be recalled, people will go home from work early, and aircraft pilots will announce the news to their passengers mid flight.

The Guardian reports that the process of dealing with the media is already so far advanced that broadcasters know where they will be standing on the day of the Queen’s funeral.

Should the Queen die abroad, the RAF’s No 32 squadron will take off from Northolt in West London to repatriate her body.

The royal undertakers, Leverton & Sons, keep a suitable coffin on hand in case of emergencies.

If she dies in Scotland, her body will lie at rest at Holyrood house in Edinburgh, where she will be guarded by the Royal Company of Archers, who wear eagle feathers in their bonnets.

Her body will be transported by train to London.

(Image: Copyright Eye Imagery)

The day after the Queen’s death, an accession council will be convened at St James’s Palace to formally declare Charles the King. The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, would become the Prince of Wales.

In every scenario, the Queen’s body returns to the throne room in Buckingham Palace where there will be an altar, the pall, the royal standard, and four Grenadier Guards, their bearskin hats inclined, their rifles pointing to the floor, standing watch.

The day after the Queen’s death, an accession council will be convened at St James’s Palace to formally declare Charles the King and trumpeters from the Life Guards, wearing red plumes on their helmets, will step on the roof of Buckingham Palace and give three blasts.

To celebrate the event, a 41-gun salute will be fired from Hyde Park which will last seven minutes.

The Prince of Wales will become king and Camilla the queen, and they will visit Cardiff, as well as Edinburgh, Belfast and London.

A period of 12 days of official mourning will be announced following her death and the funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey.

The funeral will take place 12 days after her passing.

Her body will lie in state in Westminster Hall for four days. Around half a million people are expected to visit.

Four soldiers will stand silent vigil for 20 minutes at a time, with two ready in reserve.

The wreaths will be changed every day.

The Queen’s immediate family are also expected to stand a Prince’s vigil, saying a silent goodbye to their mother and grandmother.

There will be 10 pall bearers who will practice their role in secret. British royals are buried in lead-lined coffins and Princess Diana’s weighed a quarter of a ton.

The funeral will have around 2,000 guests and there will be a procession before the Queen’s body is taken by road to Windsor Castle where she will be buried in the royal vault.