A state funeral of such majesty and splendour as the world has just witnessed inevitably takes years of preparation. Operation London Bridge, which kicked into action the moment the news emerged from Balmoral that the Queen’s life was drawing to a close, and Operation Unicorn, which was due to be activated if, as transpired, the Queen passed away in Scotland, had been meticulously planned to the final detail and overseen in part by the late Queen Elizabeth herself. Such a mesmerising spectacle was only possible because of hundreds of hours of patient rehearsal over many years by successive cohorts of military planners in anticipation of the day that must eventually come.
Yet no amount of preparation is a guarantee against mishaps or mistakes on the day. Nor indeed can any plan, no matter how well prepared, cover all eventualities, given the need to adapt to the demands of the moment and the public mood. It is a remarkable testimony to the extraordinary dedication, skill and professionalism of everyone who participated in the solemnities — and all the ceremonial events that have marked these past ten days of national mourning — that the plans developed over so many years were executed flawlessly.
The armed forces in particular have shown once again that there is nothing in the world that can match them for the magnificent displays of pageantry that lend such dignity and solemnity to Britain’s state occasions. It is possible that the keenest student of military drill may have spotted during the many hours of ceremonial duties a single stray arm or a mistimed step. But to the untutored eye, it appeared that every moment during which many thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen and women accompanied the Queen’s coffin on its journey from Scotland to London and to her final resting place in Windsor was performed with astonishing precision. All those who took part in, and those who devised and oversaw, these profoundly moving displays are owed the nation’s heartfelt admiration and gratitude.
The extraordinary scenes that the country has witnessed these past days would not have been possible, however, without the remarkable professionalism of many others whose role was less visible but no less crucial. For the police and the security services, the past week has posed unprecedented challenges. In the normal course of events, a royal walkabout or a state visit would be the product of months of preparation. Yet during the period of mourning, the police and security services had to maintain public safety through a series of royal appearances, many apparently unplanned, while providing protection to more than 100 visiting heads of state and government, and amid the largest crowds to descend on London since the Olympics in 2012. That they did so almost without exception with unobtrusive and dignified efficiency, enabling the commemorations of the late Queen’s life to pass almost entirely without incident, is to their immense credit.
It is fashionable these days to lament the supposed decline in the effectiveness of the British state and to decry what sometimes appears to be the slipping standards of public service. Yet it is practically impossible to think of any other country that could have put on such a remarkable display of national commemoration. In addition to the armed forces, police and security services, thousands of civil servants in many departments and in all parts of the country worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth operation of what has proved to be an unforgettable moment in the nation’s history. Indeed, the state funeral of the late Queen has served as a reminder that at its best, the British state remains the envy of the world, staffed by many dedicated public servants of whom the country can and should be proud.
