Despite appearances that King Charles is "on the mend," royal experts reveal that he remains "very sick." The palace is already preparing a suitable funeral for the monarch.
Operation Menai Bridge, the code name for the plans surrounding the king’s passing, is in motion as there is a real possibility of death for the 75-year-old royal, who is currently battling cancer.
Read on to understand why the king's funeral arrangements are of such importance.
Following Queen Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne in 1952, plans for Operation London Bridge—codename for her death-related procedures—began. This detailed plan included the announcement of her death, the period of mourning, her state funeral, and the ascension of King Charles III.
The former Prince of Wales, who took the throne after over 70 years of waiting, became the oldest monarch in British history when Queen Elizabeth passed in 2022.
Unfortunately, his time as king hasn’t been smooth.
In January 2024, just under a year after his May 2023 coronation, Charles underwent a "corrective procedure" for benign prostate enlargement. However, by February, the palace revealed that the issue was not related to his prostate, but rather cancer.
On February 10, 2024, the royal family’s social media shared a message from the king: “I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the many kind messages of support and good wishes…As anyone affected by cancer knows, these kind words bring great comfort and encouragement."
He continued, "It’s also heartening to know that sharing my diagnosis has raised public awareness and highlighted the work of the organizations supporting cancer patients and their families across the UK and beyond. My respect for their tireless dedication has only grown as a result of my own experience.”
As King Charles underwent treatment for this undisclosed form of cancer, his eldest son, Prince William, began taking on more royal duties. He also provided emotional support to his wife, Kate, who announced her own health struggles in March 2024.
A source has revealed that William has become more involved in decision-making and now plays a significant role alongside his father. Though the king has resumed his public duties, there are reports of considerable struggles. "He's attending public events, but for much shorter durations," an insider shares. "He is often flown in and out by helicopter and needs substantial rest after each engagement."
As difficult as it is to contemplate, the insider also mentioned that given Charles' health condition, the urgency around funeral arrangements has increased. The Daily Beast reports that friends of the king are finding it harder to stay optimistic as the atmosphere within the palace becomes more somber.
“He’s determined to fight this, and they’re giving it everything,” said a close friend. “He’s genuinely quite unwell, though, and the reality is that everyone is holding onto hope, perhaps more than they’re willing to admit.”
Much like Queen Elizabeth’s 10-day funeral plan, King Charles has his own protocol in place—Operation Menai Bridge. According to the Daily Beast, this plan is "regularly updated" to ensure everything is ready should the worst happen.
Each royal family member has a code word to signal their passing, allowing for a seamless transition of power. Charles’s code name, Operation Menai Bridge, is a nod to his former title as the Prince of Wales, referencing the suspension bridge that links Anglesey to the Welsh mainland.
The Independent reports that these code names were created to prevent Buckingham Palace switchboard operators from learning about and potentially leaking news of royal deaths before an official announcement.
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