Britain will now enter ten days of mourning

When word of the Queen’s illness spread, the House of Commons quickly emptied. Liz Truss had just announced her fuel bills bailout, one of the most expensive measures in British history. It was about to be eclipsed. The death of the Queen, who appointed Liz Truss as her 15th Prime Minister just two days ago, marks the end of what history will likely judge as one of, if not the most, successful reigns in a millennium of British history. This is where the country’s thoughts will now turn.

The relationship between the country and the Queen is something quite extraordinary, something far beyond the realms or understanding of politics. The mourning will be led not by the Prime Minister but by Charles, our new king, to whom the crown passes invisibly but immediately.

There will be no parliamentary business tomorrow or next week. The Queen’s coffin will lie in repose at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh followed by a service of reception at St Giles’ Cathedral and is expected to stay there for at least a day so the Scottish public can pay their respects. Charles, Harry and William are expected take their turn standing in a vigil around the Queen’s coffin, known as the Vigil of the Princes. The coffin is then for lying-in-state in Westminster Hall, perhaps on Wednesday, where the public will be able to pay their respects for four days (as happened with the Queen Mother). Meanwhile King Charles visits parliaments in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff to receive formal condolences.

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Then state funeral takes place at Westminster Abbey. Technically this was to happen ten days after her death, but that’s a Sunday and Buckingham Palace may decide to go a day later. The burial will take place in Windsor later that day for a private burial at the King George IV Memorial Chapel.

Various events (such as the Proms and Premiership matches) have been cancelled but schools will open as normal. Theatre etc continues, after a minute’s silence. The coronation of Charles III won’t be for some time, probably not even this year. The Queen’s coronation came 16 months after her accession with 8,200 guests: King Charles, 73, will likely go for a smaller affair and revise the oaths.

And that’s just Britain. Mourning will not just take place in Britain but the 15 countries for which the Queen was head of state: ceremonies will take place in all of them. When my wife became a British citizen recently I was looking at the immigration packs of other countries. Canada explains to its new citizens why they make an oath of allegiance to the Queen, her heirs and successors: it’s about the present day, they say, not about nostalgia. I found the explanation touching, capturing the power and depth of feeling the monarchy solicits. 

‘We profess our loyalty to a person who represents all Canadians – and not to a document such as a constitution, a banner such as a flag or a geopolitical entity such as a country,’ says the welcome pack for new citizens. ‘It is a remarkably simple yet powerful principle: Canada is personified by the Sovereign just as the Sovereign is personified by Canada.’

Every word of this is true for Britain. Elizabeth II was not just liked, but loved: and because her life embodied the notion of service. There will be plenty time, later on, to consider her successor and his prospects. But for now, and for the next few days, the country will pay its respects to a woman who personified it.