What happens if the Queen dies in Scotland? Operation Unicorn explained and how it differs from Operation London Bridge

Operation Unicorn is now being put into action.

Here is all you need to know about what happens next:

Operation Unicorn is the name given to the secret plan that outlines what would happen if the Queen were to die in Scotland, and not in England.

Operation Unicorn was first referred to in the Parliament’s online papers in back 2017, when the LG agreed to set up a “resilience board for disruptive incidents”.

However, it was in 2019 that details of Operation Unicorn were uncovered after the minutes from a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Leadership Group (LG) were accidentally leaked back in June 2019.

The minutes of the meeting said: “LG received an update on planning for Operation Unicorn - the death of Her Majesty The Queen while in Scotland.

“The primary focus was on the impact on staffing and the specific impacts depending on timing.”

What is the Operation Unicorn plan?

After hearing the news of the Queen’s passing, parliamentary business has been immediately suspended in order to allow the authorities to prepare for the monarch’s state funeral.

It’s believed that up to six parliamentary days could be lost, but there will be 36 hours to prepare for a motion of condolence in the chamber.

The Queen’s body is expected to rest at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh before then being carried up the Royal Mile to St Giles Cathedral for a service of reception.

Her body is then expected then be placed on the Royal Train at Waverley station which will travel down the east coast mainline to London for the burial service.

It is expected that members of the public will line up to throw flowers at the Royal Train at level crossings and on station platforms situated along the length of the country including Musselburgh, Thirsk, Peterborough and Hatfield.

Another train will follow behind the royal Train in order to clear debris from the tracks, it is believed.