Funeral plans are being made for Britain’s King Charles III as officials admit that “death is a possibility” for the cancer-stricken 75-year-old Monarch. An unnamed Royal insider told reporters that the preparations for the funeral are underway, and Buckingham Palace confirmed this but added that such plans are “updated on an ongoing basis as a matter of routine.”
The funeral plans are codenamed “Operation Menai Bridge” after a Welsh structure and in a nod to the King’s decades of service as Prince of Wales. Plans cover every moment of the funeral service, which formally begins by notifying the Prime Minister and senior officials and a public announcement.
According to tradition, the Monarch’s funeral plans begin the moment they ascend to the throne, but insiders say the King’s age and cancer diagnosis mean officials are working with a sense of urgency.
The King was diagnosed with cancer in February, but Buckingham Palace’s official statement did not confirm the type or location of the disease. The Palace has not offered any official updates since that time, but it is known that Charles is receiving treatment, causing him to step back from official duties. He has since returned to work but carries out far fewer engagements and keeps them shorter.
The King was the oldest ever to rise to the British throne, having waited 70 years. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died in 2022, and her funeral was broadcast to millions of people around the world. It was the first state funeral since Winston Churchill’s in 1965, and the service was held at London’s Westminster Abbey before her coffin was guided through the city by 3,000 military personnel.
Around a million people gathered in London to say farewell to the country’s longest-serving Monarch. The Queen lay in state for one week before the funeral, and members of the public were permitted to pay their respects.
On the morning of the funeral, King Charles joined his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, to walk behind the coffin, along with other family members and then-Prime Minister Liz Truss. President Biden and leaders from across the world also attended.
