The Royal Family's strict mourning rules and customs have been highlighted following the death of Prince Philip last Friday - and they're not to be broken.
- The Royal Family's mourning customs have been revealed following the death of Prince Philip.
- The Royal Family expects strict protocol to be observed after one of its members dies.
- In other royal news, the Queen's beloved dogs have been a major support to her following Prince Philip's death.
There is no right way to mourn a loved one – unless you're in the Royal Family.
The British monarchy has a well-established protocol in place following the death of one of its members, and there's no alternative but to follow it.
Prince Philip's passing aged 99 on Friday saw the swift implementation of Operation Forth Bridge, which details funeral arrangements and mourning customs. Codenamed after the Scottish landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site, the operation has been approved by both the Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh after years of development.
Like all royal funeral plans, it is verbally encrypted for security reasons. All Royal Family members have a plan customized for them while they are still alive, to ensure they are content with the arrangements and to make the necessary preparations for the large-scale ceremony.
The first to-do on this plan is to notify the media of the royal death. As the national broadcaster, the BBC is always the first to deliver the sad news to the public. The next step is for the Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household to consult with the Queen on the Prime Minister's address to the country, to confirm she is happy with its subject matter and tone.
On the Monday following the death, the UK enters an official mourning period. In the case of Prince Philip, this period will last eight days. All flags must be flown at half-mast and all newsreaders wear black. With the Queen's duties as head of state suspended, no new laws can be passed. These customs will be observed until after the royal's funeral has ended.
The rules are slightly different if the Queen dies. The UK's mourning period will last a total of ten days, with all TV presenters expected to wear black attire as a mark of respect. Regular programming will pause and be replaced with obituaries to the late monarch. Big Ben will have its hammer covered by a leather pad so that it emits muffled tones when it rings at 9am.
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