Planning for more funerals, a potential name change, and inheritances abound when King
Charles III passes on.
Much as the funeral plans for Queen Elizabeth were coded as Operation London Bridge, there
are already plans for the death of King Charles.
These plans are known as Operation Menai Bridge, named after a suspension bridge that connects
the mainland of Wales to an island known as Anglesey.
"Everyone in Great Britain is basically always, perpetually, planning for funerals."
Former Royal Protection Officer Simon Morgan told Australia's 9News program "Today" that
planning of Operation Menai Bridge began the day after Queen Elizabeth died.
Operation Menai Bridge will likely retain many of the same structural plans as Operation
London Bridge.
Because the queen's funeral went off without any major problems, Operation London Bridge
will likely be the inspiration for other royal funerals.
One part of Operation Menai Bridge that will immediately go into effect following the death
of King Charles is that Prince William will become king.
This means that his son, Prince George, will automatically be next in line to the throne
and will be the heir apparent.
It can be assumed that just as William did upon Charles' ascension to the throne, George
will inherit his father's previously inherited and earned titles.
In his book "Battle of Brothers," royal author Robert Lacey writes that the parents of three
were intentional about how they told George what his future holds.
As Lacey noted,
"Sometime around the boy's seventh birthday in the summer of 2020, it is thought that
his parents went into more detail about what the little prince's life of future royal 'service
and duty' would particularly involve."
Following the death of King Charles III, the order of succession will be updated again.
Prince William will immediately become king, and the change in the order of succession
will impact several other members of the royal family as well.
For example, whenever Prince George has children, they will automatically be ahead of his sister
Princess Charlotte and his brother Prince Louis.
When his grandfather passes away, George and any children he might have will continue to
move up in order of succession and will likely all receive new titles.
This pattern will continue through Prince Harry, his children, and any children they
might have had ahead of the passing of King Charles III.
Queen Elizabeth bucked tradition and opted to keep her given name when she took over
as monarch, and King Charles did the same when he was named king.
It's unclear whether Prince William will stick with his name and become King William V, or
if he will choose to take on a new royal identity instead.
In early September 2022, William and Kate Middleton were in a Zoom meeting with teachers
and children from a school in Lancashire when William was asked,
"The first William was William the Conqueror.
What do you want to be called?"
"Town & Country Magazine" reported that while William laughed and appeared to find the question
amusing, he didn't give the child an answer.
Camilla Parker-Bowles was named Camilla, queen consort, after her husband King Charles ascended
to the throne.
Similarly, Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, is
likely to receive her own new title following the death of her father-in-law.
While the Princess of Wales will also technically be queen consort, as she will be becoming
queen through marriage and not by blood, "Cosmopolitan" has noted that it's very likely she will be
known simply as Queen Catherine.
She will also be crowned alongside her husband at his coronation.
It's expected that the reigning monarch will move into Buckingham Palace when he or she
takes over.
In her lifetime, Queen Elizabeth moved through several royal homes, including Balmoral and
Windsor Castle, but considered Buckingham Palace her main residence.
The castle is currently being renovated, which is not expected to be complete until 2027.
In August 2020, "Sunday Times" royal expert Roya Nikkhah told "Express" that while it's
expected William and Kate will move into Buckingham Palace, it's not set in stone.
Nikkah said,
"The official line is that the Cambridges will one day move to the palace when they
become king and queen.
I imagine that it will still be monarchy HQ and I wouldn't be surprised if the Cambridges
stayed in Kensington Palace."
When Prince William was named Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge, his overall
net worth shot up to $100 million.
This is in part because he inherited the Duchy of Cornwall from his father.
The Duchy is a collection of land and properties that has a value of over $1 billion.
When he is crowned king, William will stand to inherit yet again.
This time around, he will receive money from the Duchy of Lancaster, which spans 23 counties
and is made up of over 50,000 hectares of land.
On top of that, he will likely inherit money from his father, including from investments
his father has made, and he will also inherit the Royal Art Collection.
Kate Middleton also stands to come into an inheritance of her own.
As Queen Catherine, she will be able to access the entire Crown Jewels, which include more
than 100 pieces and over 20,000 gemstones.
Prince William will ascend the throne following the death of King Charles III, and as such
will automatically become head of state and take on a plethora of new duties and obligations.
He will also be the head of the nation.
This means that like Queen Elizabeth and King Charles before him, Prince William will be
expected to act as the center of national identity for the country.
"God save the king."
Unlike kings and queens of the past, the modern British monarchy and its leader no longer
have any real impact on the political moves that Britain makes.
But that doesn't mean that William won't be on the move.
As king, he will be expected to fill his calendar with "constitutional and representational
duties year-round."
Another change that will take place following the death of King Charles III and the ascension
of Prince William to the monarch is that the latter will find himself taking several official
and important oaths.
For example, when King Charles ascended the throne, he took an oath to keep the Church
of Scotland preserved.
William will also be called upon to participate in several ceremonies outside of his all-important
coronation.
The immediate ceremony will be the official proclaiming of William as king in front of
the Accession Council, which took place at St James' Palace in London when his father
took over the monarchy.
Following that ceremony, William will make his first declaration as monarch, which also
happens with the Accession Council.
In this ceremony, William will promise to uphold the constitutional government.