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“Financial expenditures will be required,” the plan said.

The monarch’s Alberta representative, the lieutenant-governor, can stay put, and is expected to relay information from Buckingham Palace and dispense advice on protocol and procedures. For instance, towns and schools will need to know what to do with their official Queen portraits and where to get a new picture of the king.

Queen portraits in provincial buildings will be draped with black bunting overtop, according to the draft plan, which includes a demonstration picture featuring an unnamed former U.S. president for reference.

Specific attire will also be required by some legislature employees. Sergeants-at-arms will don black gloves, pique bow ties, and carry a black scabbard and sword. Pages will wear black cravats, armbands and ribbons.

Government officials will also wear black armbands for an official mourning period, to be determined by the federal government.

Flags in the chamber will bear black ribbons, as will the mace.

Postmedia, file

Provincial government is ready

At all government of Alberta buildings, flags will be lowered to half-mast until the day a new monarch is announced — then they will go back up — then back down for the remainder of the official mourning period.

There’s also a comprehensive communications plan and sequence for issuing statements and condolence letters from the lieutenant-governor, premier, Speaker of the house and others.

Shannon Haggarty, the government’s chief of protocol, wouldn’t comment specifically on the plan, but said the government is “prepared for the passing of Her Majesty, many, many, many years from now.”

Much of the guidance will come from the federal department of Canadian heritage, she said.

“It is the role of protocol and the lieutenant-governor’s office to ensure that everything is in place when there is a smooth transition to the next monarch, that they can assist with legal requirements, as well as proper recognition through ceremony.”

jfrench@postmedia.com