A meticulous plan for life after the Queen has come into effect after she died today aged 96.

Operation London Bridge begins on what has been internally dubbed ‘D-Day’ with the Queen’s private secretary Edward Young informing the prime minister, senior ministers and the cabinet secretary.

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at her Scottish home in Balmoral, ending a remarkable reign of more than 70 years.

The top secret document about what would happen next was leaked in September 2021, allowing Metro.co.uk to detail what will happen in the 10 days leading up to her majesty’s state funeral.

Demands posed by this unprecedented moment in British national life are so great officials predicted London could become ‘full’ for the first time ever.

They envisaged hundreds of thousands of mourners flocking to the capital, stretching its roads network, public transport, accommodation, food supplies and policing services to breaking point. A massive security operation to deal with the crowds has been planned.

Downing Street even considered hiring a contractor to lower its flags to half-mast within 10 minutes for fear of invoking public fury if it was seen to be too slow.

Queen Elizabeth II dead: Key details

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died after 70 years on the throne, with her death announced by Buckingham Palace on 8 September 2022.

She passed away at the age of 96 years old surrounded by her family at her home in Balmoral, including her son and heir to the throne Charles, the Prince of Wales, and her grandsons, the Duke Of Cambridge, Prince William and the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry.

Follow Metro.co.uk’s live blog for the latest updates.

Prime minister Liz Truss will announce the death of Queen Elizabeth II in a statement to the nation.

Shortly afterwards, Prince Charles – who has automatically become King Charles – will speak to the country on the death of his mum.

He’ll be proclaimed the new sovereign at St James’s Palace in a service tomorrow from 10am.

MPs will pay tribute in the Commons and Parliament will then be suspended for 10 days.

The Queen Elizabeth II was a unique figure and held records as Britain’s longest-ever serving monarch and the world’s longest-serving female head of state in history. She was also the world’s oldest living monarch.

On the third day after her death, the new king will embark on a national tour to attend memorial services across the UK while a series of rehearsals are held in London.

Between the sixth and ninth days, the Queen’s coffin will lie in state for 23 hours a day at the Palace of Westminster. Tickets will be issued for VIPs so they can have a time slot, Politico reported when it obtained a copy of the document in 2021.

King Charles travels to Wales to attend a service in Cardiff’s Liandaff Cathedral on the seventh day.

Focus will then switch to holding the funeral and the huge security implications entailed, including monitoring any increased terror threat.

The service is being staged at Westminster Abbey with processions in London and Windsor afterwards.

At noon tomorrow a nationwide two-minute silence will be held. It will be a ‘day of national mourning’, but it remains unclear whether this will be a formal Bank Holiday.

The Queen will be buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.

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