Queen Death Plan Revealed By Wrexham Council

On the same day the most read story on The Guardian is ‘Operation London Bridge’ explaining plans for the death of The Queen, Wrexham Council have published their own plans for her death.

The lengthy in-depth article on TheGuardian.com describes the protocol in place for dealing with the Queen’s death, including how and where announcements are made through to funeral routes and preparations depending on her location. King Charles, assuming that is his title, will also conduct a mini-tour taking in Cardiff. The article was the most read on the website today, and is viewable in full here.

This afternoon with coincidental timing saw the Full Council agenda for Wednesday published by Wrexham Council – with an item entitled “Protocol for the marking of the death of a Senior National Figure or Local Holder of High Office”.

The protocol document covers the deaths of various royals including the death of the Soverign, councillors and local elected representatives.

When the Queen dies the Mayor will announce on the Council’s website, and via Twitter and Facebook “it has been announced by Buckingham Palace / Downing Street that…”

Immediately the County Borough, Welsh and Union flags to be flown at half mast at the Guildhall.

For those who read the Guardian article today the references to ‘D+1’, the day after the date of death, in the Council’s guides matches the national plan timing.

On Proclamation Day, D+1 the day following the death of the Queen, when the new Sovereign is proclaimed flags will be raised to full mast at 11am and flown throughout the day at full mast. However on D+2 at 1pm the flags will return to half mast, and stay like that until 8am on the day following the funeral.

On the Proclamation Day it appears the Mayor and the Chief Executive of Wrexham Council will get a police escort to Mold as the proclamation is ‘cascaded’ across the UK. This occurs in Mold at 12:45pm, with a trip then back to Wrexham for the same event to take place from the Guildhall balcony at 2pm.

On the day following the announcement of the death of the Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales or The Duchess of Cornwall, a Book of Condolence will be opened in the Guildhall. An online book will also be made available on the Council’s website.

For those who are not keen on the royals a gentle censorship for any protests is noted, with a guide that reads: “Pages that have been defaced or include offensive or other questionable comments should be quietly removed until such time as a decision can be taken at senior level on whether or not they should be permanently excluded.”

Somewhere in Wrexham Council is a stock of relevant equipment to facilitate the Book of Condolence including a ‘stock’ of loose-leaf black folders, a supply of black edged paper, table cloths and framed photographs of members of the Royal Family.

A designated area will be marked out on Llwyn Isaf for those who wish to pay their respects by laying flowers.

During the period from the death announcement to funeral all male Councillors and Senior Officers are to wear black ties. Black ‘mourning rosettes’ to be worn by female Councillors, the Chief Executive and senior officers. The Mayor will not wear his or her chains of office, and the mace will have a black ribbon tied in a bow around the shaft.

The full document with guidance and the different grades of mourning protocol can be found here on the Council’s website.

For those wondering about the cost implications of some of the plans, the report before councillors on Wednesday notes: “It is possible that some additional spend might be associated with the Death of the Sovereign. The budget for this would be found from within the Customer and Corporate Services cash limited budget.”

Pic: Queen outside the scruffy looking Buckingham Palace ahead of its £369,000,000 refurb funded by her subjects.