One day, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, will pass away.
When that day comes, certain procedures must be followed, and before it is publicly announced, the news of their deaths will be released in the form of a secret code.
The following are the codes used when important members of the royal family die.
The code used by Queen Elizabeth at the time of her death
While no one can accurately predict how the Queen will die, Buckingham Palace expects her to die in the company of her loved ones. The moment Queen Elizabeth swallows her last breath, Prince Charles will immediately become King, to ensure that the throne will never be vacant.
The Guardian states that the Prime Minister will be notified first. The code word for the Queen's death will be "London Bridge", so that when the Prime Minister hears "London Bridge has collapsed", they will know what it means.
Hugh Thomas, the Prime Minister and the Queen's senior doctor and gastroenterologist, may discuss when the News of the Queen's death will be announced.
Queen Elizabeth has laid down the rules for what happens after what comes after what comes known as "Operation London Bridge". The Queen said there would be 12 days of official mourning, during which the BBC could not broadcast any comedy or other humorous programmes, during which the Queen's remains would be honoured. She also hand-picked several documentaries about her life that will be shown online during that time.
The code used at the time of Prince Philip's death
When something happens to the monarch's spouse, there are also two codes and some arrangements.
The code name associated with the death of the Duke of Edinburgh is "Forth Bridge". When Prince Philip's death was officially announced, the BBC would be the first to broadcast the news. If he dies at midnight, the news will air at 8 a.m. local time.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Philip did not want a full state funeral. Instead, he will hold a private military funeral at St. George's Church at Windsor Castle. The period of mourning after his death will last 8 days. If he dies earlier than his wife, she will enter a 30-day period of royal mourning.
The code used when other members of the royal family died
The code was not just for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. There are also words and phrases used to describe Queen Elizabeth's parents.
The Mirror noted that when the Queen's father, King George VI, died in 1952, the code was "Hyde Park Corner".
Fifty years later, Elizabeth's mother died under the code "Bridge of Thailand". The Queen's mother was 101 years old when she died, and her youngest daughter, Princess Margaret, died seven weeks before she was.
It is estimated that more than 1 million people gathered in the streets outside Westminster Abbey, a 23-mile route from London to St. George's Church at Windsor Castle, where the Queen Mother was finally laid to rest.
The Queen's mother is buried in St. George's Church at Windsor Castle, with her husband and daughter.