Operation Menai Bridge

Operation Menai Bridge is the code name for plans related to the death of King Charles III, The name refers to a suspension bridge in Wales. The plan includes the announcement of his death, the period of official mourning, and the details of his state funeral. Planning for the King's funeral began almost immediately after Charles's accession to the throne upon the death of his mother and predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II.^[1][2]

Menai Suspension Bridge (pictured in 2009), the plan's namesake

Background

The death of King George VI was communicated by using the phrase "Hyde Park Corner", to avoid Buckingham Palace switchboard operators learning the news too soon. For Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Operation Tay Bridge was put into motion upon her death. Other code names used were Operation Forth Bridge for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Operation London Bridge for Queen Elizabeth II. Since the latter died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Operation Unicorn was also put into effect upon her death.^[3][4]

Post-accession

Following the accession of Charles III, planning for his funeral began "in earnest" on 20 September 2022, the day following the Queen's state funeral.^[2][5] As of 2024, details for Operation Menai Bridge continued to be regularly updated and reviewed, in light of Charles's diagnosis with cancer that year.^[5]

A 2024 biography of Charles III by Robert Hardman claimed the King's funeral arrangements have "been upgraded” to Operation London Bridge, mirroring those of his mother’s. Planning for Charles III's funeral arrangement began shortly after his coronation held in 2023. The biography also claims that the codename Operation Menai Bridge is now being used for William, Prince of Wales, replacing the codename previously used, Operation Clare Bridge.^[6]

References

1. Cruse, Beth (29 April 2021). "Royal death codenames and what they mean". BristolLive. Archived from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
2. "Operation Menai Bridge: Funeral plan for King Charles III underway, security expert says". Nine News. 20 September 2022. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
3. "'London Bridge is down': the secret plan for the days after the Queen's death". The Guardian. 17 March 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
4. "What happens when the Queen dies - 'Operation London Bridge' explained". The Independent. 15 September 2022. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
5. Sykes, Tom (25 April 2024). "King Charles' Funeral Plans Dusted Off, as His Health Remains a Mystery". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
6. Quaguira, Salma (7 November 2024). "King Charles death plan codename upgraded to 'Operation London Bridge', claims biography". www.independent.co.uk. The Independent.