Operation London Bridge
What : Queen Elizabeth II ’ s funeral Where : Westminster Abbey When : 19 September Image : Finley Sampson
Hundreds of thousands of people from across the UK flocked to London to watch Queen Elizabeth II ’ s funeral on 19 September , while a 2,000-strong congregation including world leaders and foreign royalty gathered at Westminster Abbey for the service .
The previous 10 days had seen the realisation of the hugely complex Operation London Bridge , which involved mourning arrangements including the management of a five-mile queue to see the Queen ’ s lying-in-state . According to the Department for Culture Media & Sport ( DCMS ), some 250,000 people queued to pay their respects .
Described by police as “ probably the biggest operation we ’ re likely to launch in the UK ”, the funeral reportedly involved 10,000 police officers from across Britain , along with snipers stationed on rooftops . The first state funeral of a monarch since the death of George VI in 1952 , it also involved some 4,000 military personnel .
The temporary infrastructure , security and support service requirements were enormous , and in central London alone some 22 miles of barriers were put up . Countless events companies and professionals played integral roles in enabling Operation London Bridge to run smoothly . Having managed the Queen ’ s Platinum Jubilee events that took place in Central London , on behalf of the DCMS , Arcadis was also at the heart of this landmark royal occasion working closely with key events suppliers .
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