This morning Playbook has revealed details about the plans – codenamed Operation London Bridge – for the sad day when the Queen passes away. But while the outlet’s excellent write-up reveals much about the preparations involved for Her Majesty’s death, Steerpike noted that one detail about the behind the scenes work was somewhat glossed over: advanced plans for the royal coffin to lie in state at Westminster Hall.
Codenamed ‘Operation Marquee’ – a moniker last used for the Queen Mother’s ceremony in 2002 – the plans have been kept tightly under wraps for decades and will run with military precision, judging by its expenditure. Between 2010 and 2020 some £2.6 million was spent on the project, according to FOI requests – the equivalent of more than £700 a day. This breaks down to £1.58 million spent by the Commons and £1 million by the Lords, excluding VAT.
Such costs are of course merely for planning the logistics of the event which is likely to see hundreds of thousands of people file past the guarded coffin in Westminster Hall to pay their last respects.
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