Royal experts say that Charles is “still very sick,” even though it seems like he is getting better. The palace is getting ready for a proper funeral for the king.
Operation Menai Bridge, the code name for plans related to the king’s de:a:th, is well underway as “de:a:th is a possibility” for the 75-year-old ailing royal, who’s battling ca:nc:er.
Find out why the king’s fun:eral arrangements are so critical by reading on!
Right after Queen Elizabeth II became queen in 1952, they started getting ready for Operation London Bridge.
The strategy, which had a special name for what would happen after her passing, included information about announcing her death, the period of mourning, her funeral arrangements, and King Charles III becoming king.
The previous Prince of Wales became king after waiting over 70 years, making him the oldest person to take the throne in British history after the queen died in 2022.
And he wasn’t able to enjoy his new role for very long.
In January 2024, less than one year after his May 2023 coronation, Charles underwent a “corrective procedure” to treat benign pro$tate enlargement.
In February, only one month after his procedure, the palace announced that ca:ncer – not pro$tate – was discovered.
Charles shared a message on February 10, 2024, on the royal family’s social media, saying, “I want to give a huge thank you for all the supportive messages and well wishes. Anyone who has been touched by cancer understands that these kind words bring the most comfort and motivation.”
It’s really encouraging to see how talking about my own diagnosis has helped people understand more about cancer. It also highlights the amazing work done by organizations that support cancer patients and their families, not just in the UK but around the world. Because of my own experience, I have even more respect for the hard work and commitment these groups show every day.
While the king was getting treatment for a type of cancer that wasn’t known yet, his oldest son, Prince William, took on more responsibilities in the royal family. He also offered emotional support to his wife, Kate, who shared that she had been diagnosed with an illness in March 2024.
A source says that William is taking on a bigger role and is now part of many important decisions with Charles. The king is back to doing his public work, but there are reports that he’s facing some tough challenges. The source, who wants to stay anonymous, mentions, “He’s showing up in public, but for shorter times.” He often travels by helicopter to and from events. After each engagement, he really needs to get some good rest.
Even though it sounds kind of bad, a source mentioned that because Charles isn’t feeling well, they need to plan the funeral quickly. The Daily Beast also reports that friends are struggling to stay positive as the mood in the palace gets darker.
The best friend says, “Definitely, he’s really focused on getting better and they’re doing everything they can to help him.” “He is really sick, but everyone is staying positive.” Even more than they want to let on.
Similar to the 10-day plan that detailed actions concerning the queen’s passing, the king has created his own plan called Operation Menai Bridge, which the Daily Beast reports is “regularly updated.”
Each person in the royal family has a special codeword they can say if something happens to them, and plans are set up to make sure the transfer of power goes smoothly.
The king’s Operation Menai Bridge mentions Charles’s old title as the Prince of Wales. This bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Anglesey Island to the mainland of Wales.
The Independent says that code names were used before any official announcement to keep the Buckingham Palace switchboard operators from finding out and spreading news about royal deaths.
