Operation Menai Bridge.
That's the code name for when King Charles dies.
King Charles took the throne
immediately following his mother's death,
Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022.
At age 73, he became the oldest person
in British history to do so.
But planning for his death had already begun
way before he was officially crowned in 2023.
I'm Joi-Marie McKenzie,
Business Insider's editor-in-chief of our life division.
Operation Menai Bridge refers to the suspension bridge
built in Wales in 1826.
The location holds real significance for Charles.
He's the longest-serving prince of Wales.
Details about the plan have been kept really under wraps,
but it's expected to be a rerun
of what happened when Queen Elizabeth died.
So here's what's going to happen.
As soon as the king dies,
the palace will promptly notify British officials
from the prime minister to government members.
Then the foreign office will tell the governments
where King Charles is head of state
and inform the nations within the Commonwealth,
where he holds a symbolic role.
Then the royal household will issue
an official notification to the public.
There'll also be a notice on the gates
right outside at Buckingham Palace.
Then the news will be spread throughout the press.
When King Charles dies,
the Union Jack will be lowered at half-mast.
It'll happen in places with significance,
like Whitehall, where most government offices are located,
as well as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
His death will put an immediate halt
to parliamentary proceedings,
not just in England,
but also in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Many businesses will suspend operations, too.
As the nation enters a period of mourning,
Buckingham Palace will become the central place
for people to express their condolences.
The most devoted royal fans will make their way
from far around the country and even all over the world
as they pay their respects to King Charles.
It's exactly what happened when Queen Elizabeth passed away.
Charles' coffin will lie in state at Westminster Hall
for the public to pay their respects.
When the queen's coffin was there,
around 250,000 people waited for hours in line
to send their condolences.
The funeral will probably take place
around 10 days after his death.
Given that the funerals for the queen,
Princess Diana and the queen mother
all happened at Westminster Abbey,
it's likely that Charles' funeral will be there, too.
The UK treasury said that the British government spent
roughly 160 million pounds on the queen's funeral
and the surrounding events.
Even if Charles does opt for a smaller funeral,
it'll probably still cost millions.
After the service, a procession will take Charles' coffin
from London to Windsor Castle.
That's the place where Charles will be laid to rest.
The minute King Charles dies, his son Prince William
immediately becomes King.
Royal experts say that one of William's
first official duties will be to address the nation.
In his address, it's expected that he will,
of course, acknowledge his father,
but also acknowledge his role
as the new head of the monarchy.
Within 24 hours, the Accession Council will meet
to officially make William king.
Shortly after, he'll swear his loyalty to Parliament,
to the church, and then he'll become the supreme governor
of the Church of England.
The oaths go both ways, though.
After William ascends the throne,
the members of both houses of Parliament
must also swear their loyalty to him.
While he immediately becomes king,
William probably won't be coronated right away.
That'll happen a few months later.
He'll be crowned at Westminster Abbey,
a tradition that's been held for the last 900 years.
Meanwhile, the wife of the new king, Kate,
will become queen consort.
She won't be known as queen regent, like Queen Elizabeth,
since she's not head of a monarchy.
If King Charles' wife, Camilla, outlives him,
she'll then be known as the queen dowager.
That's typically the title given to the widow of a king.
Kate and William's son, Prince George,
will then be next in line to the throne.
He'll automatically receive two titles,
Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay,
but he may only hold those titles briefly.
Typically, the monarch's heir is known
as the prince of Wales.
Meanwhile, George's siblings and the rest in line
for the royal throne will each move up a rank.
A royal expert told us
that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
may no longer carry the title of Wales.
Instead, they'll be addressed as the Princess Charlotte
and Prince Louis.
With the succession,
the Bank of England will print new currency.
British bank notes always wear the likeness
of the current monarch.
So Charles' image will be phased out
and replaced by William's,
but it may take several years
before we see Charles completely gone
from everyday coins and bank notes.
Passports and stamps will also be updated
with the new monarch,
but that will probably happen slowly, too.
In the course of William's reign,
if there's any new mailboxes installed, for instance,
those will bear his personal emblem, too.
Police officers and even soldiers
will eventually receive updated uniforms
with William's insignia,
but that may take some time as well.
Although the monarchy is waning in popularity,
there's no doubt that King Charles dedicated his life
to the monarchy.
And in his death, the monarchy will pay
their respects to him.