Who Will Be Informed First When Queen Elizabeth II Dies?

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch and since the royal is now in her 90s, some are wondering what will happen when she passes away.

Amani Hughes, a journalist for Daily Express, has revealed that if the Queen dies, her private secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt, would be the first one to be informed. Geidt will then inform the prime minister before releasing the news to the 15 other countries of which the monarch is the head of state and the rest of the 26 Commonwealth nations.

The news will not be official until it is announced by the Buckingham Palace. If the death is due to a long illness, there will be a detailed plan for handling and announcing it. The media will be informed ahead of the general public and a period of mourning will follow.

The Queen's death is also expected to affect the market and the advertising industry. According to an analyst, just like Princess Diana's death, a number of networks will observe the event.

"The Queen's death will be a shock that will make the passing of Diana, now some 20 years ago, look relatively tame in my view," said Francis Ingham, director general of the PRCA. "Brands must make some tough decisions quickly. Do they continue to run adverts? How do they change their social media activity? Have they in fact prepared contingency plans for just this very eventuality, as doubtless central government has?"

"If the event is joyful, like a royal wedding, it's a boon for audiences and the advertisers that buy slots," said Alice Enders, head of research at Enders Analysis. "If the event is sombre, it will cut out advertising as it's very hard to strike the right note. And audiences don't like interruptions anyway in these ceremonies."

There were reports earlier claiming that there were already secret conversations about the Queen's death. Many were reportedly concerned as to what would happen to the crown if the inevitable thing happens. However, a number declined to comment.

"I can't talk about this publicly," an insider said. "We're not thinking about what happens next. It would be improper to do so while the Sovereign is alive."

"The chat has broken surface rather more," Dr. Bob Morris of the Constitutional Unit at University College London confirmed of the talks.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are still very much in good condition. In fact, the monarch was reportedly annoyed about Prince Philip's recent death hoax.