'London Bridge is Down': official plans following the death of QEII

[CaptMurdock]

@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.

[BobArrgh]

Nice one, Shodan. Very well played, Sir.

Regarding this:

@Musicat

Long live the queen!

I would say she has already done so.

[SanVito]

@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.

[Shodan]

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

[LSLGuy]

Gesundheit!

[leahcim]

“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.

[Leaffan]

@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.

[Ximenean]

@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.

[Dewey_Finn]

I wonder if they’ll change the code phrase now that the Guardian article was published.

[Filbert]

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 can I?

[drewder]

@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.

[xizor]

@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

[Nawth_Chucka]

@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.’

[LSLGuy]

I suggest they not use “No more Prince Charles”. That one might be misconstrued in the heat of the moment.

[Evan_Drake]

@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,

[alphaboi867]

@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?

[APB]

@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.

[leahcim]

@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 .