Following the news of Queen Elizabeth II‘s death at age 96 on Sept. 8, the royal family has a special plan in place that dates back to the 1960s.

Titled Operation London Bridge, the plan reportedly lists what will happen in the United Kingdom following the monarch’s death.

Now that the news of her death has been made public, the plan states that the UK will go into a period of mourning over the next 10 days as her funeral arrangements are made.

Per Politico, the state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey, before she is moved to her final resting place Windsor Castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel.

Here’s everything to know about Operation London Bridge.

When did Operation London Bridge start?

The code phrase for a royal death dates back to the death of Queen Elizabeth II’s father King George VI in 1952. At the time, his code phrase was “Hyde Park Corner,” which alerted key government officials of his death.

Since then, other code phrases have been put in place for prominent members of the royal family, including Operation Tay Bridge for The Queen Mother, and Operation Forth Bridge for Prince Philip.

Queen Elizabeth’s code phrase is Operation London Bridge, while her son Prince Charles’ is reportedly Operation Menai Bridge.

How is Operation London Bridge enacted?

Following Queen Elizabeth’s death, the plan states that her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, will be the first official to convey the news (apart from her relatives and medical team), per The Guardian.

From there, Young will contact the prime minister, Elizabeth Truss, giving the code phrase “London Bridge is down” to signal her death.

Who else is informed of Queen Elizabeth’s death through Operation London Bridge?

From the Foreign Office’s Global Response Centre, the news of the queen’s death will go out to “the 15 governments outside the UK where the Queen is also the head of state, and the 36 other nations of the Commonwealth for whom she has served as a symbolic figurehead,” The Guardian reports. World leaders, ambassadors, governors general, and more heads of state will also be notified.

How will the general public learn about Queen Elizabeth’s death?

After selected officials have been informed of Queen Elizabeth’s death through Operation London Bridge, the official announcement for the general public will go out through a newsflash to the Press Association and global media outlets.

Simultaneously, the announcement of her death will be posted outside of Buckingham Palace by a footman. The palace website will also display the notice.

On Sept. 8, The Royal Family made an official announcement about her death on Twitter which read: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

The prime minister will be the first government official to make a statement. The prime minister will then meet with the new monarch, Prince Charles, and the royal would deliver a speech to the nation at 6 p.m. on the evening following Queen Elizabeth’s death.

When will Queen Elizabeth’s funeral take place?

Following Prince Charles’ speech, there will be 10 days of mourning leading up to Queen Elizabeth’s official funeral. Based on where the queen dies, there are several different actions put in place.

If she were to die in Scotland, which is where she is currently residing at Balmoral Castle, Operation Unicorn would reportedly be enacted. Per The Independent, the plan outlines that if the Queen dies at her residence in Scotland, the Scottish Parliament will be immediately suspended and authorities will be “given 36 hours to prepare for a motion of condolence in the chamber.”

From there, she will be transported to Holyroodhouse, then St Giles’ Cathedral, before her coffin is ultimately taken to Waverley Station and transported on the Royal Train to London.

Where will Queen Elizabeth’s funeral take place?

Per Politico, the state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey, which will be followed by a committal service in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The queen will then be buried at Windsor Castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel.

1. The Queen Is Dead

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the royal family announced. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

The gates to Buckingham Palace in London have since served as a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, with many leaving flowers and other tributes to Her Majesty throughout the day.

2. Long Live the King

Thousands of mourners gathered outside Buckingham Palace on Thursday to pay their respects for the Queen’s 70-year reign, many climbing the Queen Victoria Memorial to see over the crowds.

Queen Elizabeth’s death follows her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, who died at age 99 in June 2021. She is succeeded immediately by her eldest son, King Charles III, 73, who is now the monarch.

3. Outside the Palace

Although Buckingham Palace has served as her official London residence, at the time of her death, Queen Elizabeth was at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she spends her summers.

4. The Queen’s Home

Other mourners gathered outside Windsor Castle in Berkshire, which has served as the Queen’s main residence since Prince Philip died last year. The home is about 20 miles west of Buckingham Palace.

5. Paying Respects

Another makeshift memorial was arranged outside Windsor Castle as more people left flowers and other tributes.

6. Beautiful Tributes

Mourners also placed tributes at the base of Queen Victoria’s statue, which sits outside Windsor Castle.

7. Summers in Scotland

Others paid their respects outside Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where Queen Elizabeth died Thursday.

Buckingham Palace previously announced that the Queen was “under medical supervision” and doctors were “concerned” about her health, as members of the royal family rushed to her side at Balmoral.

8. For the Queen

In a display of solidarity, West Ham United and Romania’s FCSB lined up on the field at London Stadium to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth ahead of their UEFA Europa Conference League match.

9. Collective Grief

David Kessler, a grief specialist and founder of Grief.com, told PEOPLE that the Queen’s death has been felt so deeply by so many as “it is truly like a matriarch dying.”

“When we talk about collective grief, we often mistakenly think we need to know the person,” said Kessler. “What people often don’t understand is, that person was a part of our lives without ever meeting them.”

10. Operation London Bridge

The royal family has had a plan in place since the 1960s, in the event of the Queen’s death. According to Operation London Bridge, the U.K. will go into a period of mourning over the next 10 days as her funeral arrangements are made.

Her state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey, before she is moved to her final resting place Windsor Castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel.

11. A Son in Mourning

King Charles III paid tribute to his mother in a statement: “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.”

“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother,” the King continued. “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

12. Crowning a New King

Although King Charles III has already assumed the throne, his coronation will take place after several formalities are met.

“The coronation ceremony usually takes a year because it’s seen as unseemly, really, to have a coronation ceremony straight after someone’s death. It’s a long period of mourning,” Kate Williams, history professor at England’s Reading University and author of Young Elizabeth: The Making of the Queen, told PEOPLE.

13. Royal Bloodline

Charles’ firstborn son, Prince William, 40, is now next in line to the world’s most famous throne, followed by William’s firstborn son, Prince George, 9.

William and wife Kate Middleton have since taken on the titles of “Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.” The Duke of Cornwall is traditionally held by the eldest son of the reigning British monarch, with his wife taking the Duchess title.

Megan Hilty has confirmed the death of her sister, brother-in-law and nephew after a plane crash.

On Wednesday evening, the Smash star, 41, shared a heartbreaking post in which she mourned her family who died earlier this week.

Posting a photo of her sister Lauren Hilty, brother-in-law Ross Mickel, and their son Remy, Hilton spoke for the first time about their unexpected deaths.

“On Sunday afternoon, a small float plane crashed into Puget Sound off the coast of Whidbey Island. My beloved sister Lauren, brother-in-law Ross and baby nephew Remy were on that plane,” she began.

“To make this news even more devastating, my sister was eight months pregnant and we were expecting to welcome baby boy Luca into the world next month.”

She continued, “The last three days have been the worst of our lives. There are truly no words to appropriately convey the depth of our grief.”

Megan said that she didn’t plan on publicly addressing the losses, however, she felt she needed to after her “sweet nephew” was “misgendered” in the news and “some haven’t even mentioned baby Luca.”

She added that Ross and Lauren are survived by their daughter, “who we are all holding in our hearts.”

“Thankfully, she was not on the plane and we ask that her name and personal information be kept private as she is a minor,” said Megan.

The Broadway star added, “It is important these details be corrected to respectfully honor everyone we’ve lost and the loved ones they’ve left behind.”

She went on to acknowledge and express gratitude for the “outpouring of love and support.”

“It has been so comforting to know just how loved Lauren, Ross, Remy and Luca truly are,” Megan concluded.

After a float plane carrying 10 people crashed in Washington’s Puget Sound on Sunday, Megan’s three family members were among the passengers. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the passengers’ names in a press release on Tuesday, though they have recovered only one body, and the remaining nine people on board are still missing but presumed dead.

Ross was a well-known winemaker and owner of Ross Andrew Wineries. His family offered a comment on the loss to NBC affiliate KING 5 and confirmed Lauren was pregnant at the time of the crash.

“We are deeply saddened and beyond devastated at the loss of our beloved Ross Mickel, Lauren Hilty, Remy and their unborn baby boy, Luca,” the statement read.

“Our collective grief is unimaginable. They were a bright and shining light in the lives of everyone who knew them. Although their time with us was too short, we will carry their legacy forward.”

In addition to thanking first responders for the search, the family added, “The enormous outpouring and support we have received from our friends, family, and the public has been overwhelming. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who also lost loved ones on-board. At this difficult time, we are requesting that our privacy be respected as we grieve the loss of our family members.”