# 'London Bridge is Down': official plans following the death of QEII **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340 "2017-03-16T20:49:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/41 "2017-03-17T16:07:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I think the code word should be “Norwegian Blue”. > > Beautiful plumage. > > Regards, > Shodan I was just thinking of the MP sketch “Death of Mary, Queen of Scots.” But this was good. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/42 "2017-03-17T16:28:16Z")
Nice one, **Shodan**. Very well played, Sir. Regarding this: > [@Musicat](#): > > Long live the queen! I would say she has already done so. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/43 "2017-03-17T16:39:23Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Isn’t predicting or speaking of the king’s (or queen’s) death treason? I know Henry the 8ths doctors were unwilling to tell the king his prognosis due to that law. Freedom of speech has moved on somewhat over the last 500 years. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/44 "2017-03-17T16:41:25Z")
Now look, no one is to announce the queen’s death until I blow this whistle. _Even_…and I want to make this absolutely clear…_even_ if they _do_ say "Hyde Park Corner.’ Regards, Shodan Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern- schplenden- schlitter- crasscrenbon- fried- digger- dingle- dangle- dongle- dungle- burstein- von- knacker- thrasher- apple- banger- horowitz- ticolensic- grander- knotty- spelltinkle- grandlich- grumblemeyer- spelterwasser- kurstlich- himbleeisen- bahnwagen- gutenabend- bitte- ein- nürnburger- bratwustle- gerspurten- mitz- weimache- luber- hundsfut- gumberaber- shönedanker- kalbsfleisch- mittler- aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/45 "2017-03-17T17:19:12Z")
Gesundheit! ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/46 "2017-03-17T17:36:30Z")
> [@](#): > > “If you ever hear Haunted Dancehall (Nursery Remix) by Sabres of Paradise on daytime Radio 1, turn the TV on,” Given the succession I think the natural choice would be [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1PuZFWdKYo). ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/47 "2017-03-17T17:40:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I think the code word should be “Norwegian Blue”. > [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I was just thinking of the MP sketch “Death of Mary, Queen of Scots.” But this was good. 🆒 That’s why I come here. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/48 "2017-03-17T18:58:10Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > You missed the procedural process. Try this: > > The King has just retired to the Choir Eternal. Somebody from his staff in attendance calls from the Palace or hospital or wherever he is/was to 10 Downing Street. And once connected to the PM or personal secretary or some such announces “Hyde Park Corner”. > > The intent is to pass the news without tipping off the eavesdropping telephone operators you must assume exist. Oh sure, I get that, but surely with a message of such import, you want to avoid any possibility of misunderstanding. Something that is easily achievable with a phrase that has no everyday connection with Buckingham Palace. It’s conceivable that the PM or their secretary could hear the phrase “Hyde Park Corner” in similar circumstances and jump to the wrong conclusion. A lot less likely with “London Bridge has fallen,” or you could avoid any reference to things pertaining to London or the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/49 "2017-03-17T19:05:42Z")
I wonder if they’ll change the code phrase now that the Guardian article was published. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/50 "2017-03-17T19:10:51Z")
Is it just me that’s somewhat amused by the code for the Queen mother’s death referring to the Tay bridge falling? I mean… I can’t be the only one whose mind immediately sprang to [poetry](http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/gems/the-tay-bridge-disaster) can I? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/51 "2017-03-17T19:21:10Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Oh sure, I get that, but surely with a message of such import, you want to avoid any possibility of misunderstanding. Something that is easily achievable with a phrase that has no everyday connection with Buckingham Palace. It’s conceivable that the PM or their secretary could hear the phrase “Hyde Park Corner” in similar circumstances and jump to the wrong conclusion. A lot less likely with “London Bridge has fallen,” or you could avoid any reference to things pertaining to London or the UK. Yeah it wouldn’t be too hard to figure out what the code phrase referred to. This is why classified programs always are named after two random words like [Talent Keyhole.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_Compartmented_Information) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/52 "2017-03-17T20:35:06Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I wonder if they’ll change the code phrase now that the Guardian article was published. That was my first thought as well ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/53 "2017-03-17T21:05:07Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I wonder if they’ll change the code phrase now that the Guardian article was published. ‘Greg has fainted at the Nelson’s Column kebab cart.’ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/54 "2017-03-17T21:11:33Z")
I suggest they not use “No more Prince Charles”. That one might be misconstrued in the heat of the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/55 "2017-03-17T21:44:49Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Oh sure, I get that, but surely with a message of such import, you want to avoid any possibility of misunderstanding. Something that is easily achievable with a phrase that has no everyday connection with Buckingham Palace. It’s conceivable that the PM or their secretary could hear the phrase “Hyde Park Corner” in similar circumstances and jump to the wrong conclusion. A lot less likely with “London Bridge has fallen,” or you could avoid any reference to things pertaining to London or the UK. After the last century of political life a Tory British prime minister would immediately jump to the conclusion one of their cabinet ministers had been caught fiddling with a guardsman in the bushes, ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/56 "2017-03-18T03:20:46Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > You think Prince Charles is looking forward to the death of his mother, a woman who is quite healthy for a person of her age and not in any pain as far as is understood by the public at large nor mentally infirm? Sorry, I meant to ad a smiley. That was a joke. > [@leahcim](#): > > “The Queen is Dead” Won’t that be confusing if Her Majesty dies in a bridge collapse? ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/57 "2017-03-18T07:23:46Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I wonder if they’ll change the code phrase now that the Guardian article was published. That it is the codename has been public knowledge for decades. Certainly since the time when such stories were more about what ‘Tay Bridge’ would involve. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340/58 "2017-03-18T14:01:27Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Won’t that be confusing if Her Majesty dies in a bridge collapse? That would be when it is _least_ confusing: “London Bridge is down and the Queen is dead”. The encoded and literal meaning are the same 🙂 . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-bridge-is-down-official-plans-following-the-death-of-qeii/782340.md?page=2)