What does national mourning mean? How long UKs mourning period for the Queen is and what will happen

[ad_1]

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning sovereign in the history of the British monarchy, died on Thursday.

The Government is expected to confirm the length of national mourning, likely to be around 12 days, from Friday up to the day after the Queens funeral.

It will also announce that the funeral day will be a public holiday in the form of a Day of National Mourning.

Heres what you need to know.

What is a period of national mourning?

The UK will also have a period of national mourning for the public, which is usually shorter, and will be expected to last until the day after the funeral.

Following a royal death and during other periods of national mourning, Union flags are now flown at half-mast on royal buildings when the monarch is not in residence.

But the Royal Standard, flown when the sovereign is in residence at a royal palace, is the symbol of the continuation of the monarchy and never flies at half-mast.

After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997, there was a public outcry when the flagpole at Buckingham Palace remained bare, as was the convention. The Queen was not in residence as she was away at Balmoral.

In a break with protocol, she eventually ordered that a Union flag be flown at half-mast for the first time at her London home after she left to attend Dianas funeral.

It has since been flown at full mast above Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Sandringham whenever the sovereign is not in residence.

Mourners lay flowers outside Buckingham Palace (Photo: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Such is the sensitivity of lowering flags after the Diana uproar that Downing Street reportedly expressed concern in the past that the Government would face a wave of public anger if it did not lower its flags within 10 minutes of the announcement of the Queens death.

Books of condolence for members of the public to write messages in may also be opened at selected venues, although online books, just like after Prince Philips death, are also likely to be available.

An official day of mourning will take place on the day of the Queens funeral, which will be announced as a public holiday.

If the funeral falls on a weekend or another bank holiday, then an additional day will not be granted; if it falls on a weekday, then something akin to a traditional bank holiday will come into effect.

However, it will be at the discretion of employers to decide whether workers are given a day off.

How will the royals die?

The Queens children and grandchildren will enter a period of officialmourningfor their matriarch, which could last for several weeks.

Official engagements can continue during this time, although most will be postponed or cancelled. However, it will depend on the wishes of the new King.

Social engagements are usually cancelled, except those for charitable causes.

Crowds gather in front of Buckingham Palace to pay their respects following the death of Queen Elizabeth II (Photo: Getty)

There are various types of mourning, but royal, also known as court, mourning includes the royal family, royal households and the Queens representatives in the UK and abroad wearing black and also using black-edged writing paper.

The Queen decided on two weeks of royalmourning, with engagements continuing appropriate to the circumstances, following the Duke of Edinburghs death in April 2021.

There is also familymourning, which was observed after the death of the Queen Mother. It is undertaken by the royal family and also their households when they are in personal attendance.

Black-edged writing paper is not used and familymourningis often shorter than court morning.

It is up to Charles, as the new King, to decide how long themourningshould last and what form it should take; he is expected to choose a month.

[ad_2]