On Thursday 8th September 2022, the whole nation heard the news that Queen Elizabeth II had sadly passed away at the age of 96. Earlier this year we celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years of service to the country she loved.
Over the days since the passing of the Queen, several things have already taken place, with many items still to take place over the coming days. At the time of writing the events detailed below are correct.
Timeline of Events Leading Up to The Queen’s Funeral
08/09/22
Thursday 8th September 2022
Queen Elizabeth II passed away in Balmoral, Scotland
08/09/22
09/09/22
Friday 9th September 2022
The Queen lay in the ballroom in Balmoral Castle
King Charles III returns to London
King Charles III makes his first speech following the passing of his mother and becoming King
09/09/22
10/09/22
Saturday 10th September 2022
The Queen remains in Balmoral Castle
King Charles III declaration to the accession council
Prime Minister Liz Truss leads other members of parliament to swear their oath to the King
10/09/22
11/09/22
Sunday 11th September 2022
The Queen started her final journey leaving Balmoral for Holyrood House in Edinburgh
11/09/22
12/09/22
Monday 12th September 2022
The Queen in procession along the Royal mile to St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh
12/09/22
13/09/22
Tuesday 13th September 2022
The Queen shall travel from Edinburgh to London, initially to RAF Northolt and then on to Buckingham Palace
13/09/22
14/09/22
Wednesday 14th September 2022
The Queen shall travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster and will lay in state for 4 days
14/09/22
15/09/22
Thursday 15th September 2022
The Queen remains lying in state within Westminster, members of the public can pass the coffin
15/09/22
16/09/22
Friday 16th September 2022
The Queen remains lying in state within Westminster, members of the public can pass the coffin
16/09/22
17/09/22
Saturday 17th September 2022
The Queen remains lying in state within Westminster, members of the public can pass the coffin
17/09/22
18/09/22
Sunday 18th September 2022
The Queen remains lying in state within Westminster, members of the public can pass the coffin
18/09/22
19/09/22
Monday 19th September 2022
The funeral of the Queen will take place at 11am in Westminster Cathedral
The Queen will take her final journey to St Georges Chapel in Windsor where there will be a committal service and private burial
19/09/22
Monday 19th of September 2022 has been confirmed to be a Bank Holiday. This means that all public services shall be closed, including but not limited to schools, universities, colleges, councils, doctors’ surgeries.
“The pain of grief is just as much a part of life as the joy of love; it is, perhaps, the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment.”
Consider your Business Decision
As with the Bank Holiday for the Queens Platinum Jubilee earlier in the year, depending on the wording of the employment contract for your employee will depend on whether you ‘have’ to grant the additional Bank Holiday, or whether you chose to grant the bank holiday as a gesture of goodwill.
Places such as hospitals and care homes and establishments that cannot close for the day will need to make the decision as to whether they will grant the Bank Holiday, and if they do whether it will be added to the holiday entitlement to be taken at another date if the employee needs to be at work on the date of the funeral.
When making the decision on whether to close your business for the day on this Bank Holiday if able to, it is worth considering the level of engagement and morale of your employees should you decide not to close for the day. In addition to this, you will need to take into consideration the childcare and caring responsibilities of your employees and what that means with schools closed for the day. It is also predicted that public transport may be disrupted, particularly in London.
For businesses that have client or customer appointments to fulfil it may be advisable to contact those clients to establish if they intend to attend the appointment. This will help to inform your decision to stay open with full staff resources, limited staff or close for the funeral.
Should you stay open, it would be advisable to make arrangements allowing staff to either listen or watch live on TV the main funeral coverage. This is a significant historical moment for us all and the majority of the population will want to feel they have taken part in some way if they are not able to travel to London.
As further information is made available should it be applicable to businesses, we shall communicate it to you.
Additional Precautions
London (along with Scotland whilst the Queen remains there) is expected to be increasingly overwhelmed with tourists, media personnel, emergency services and enhanced security measures. In addition to usual commuter traffic, this is likely to lead to increased travel times and delays. It is recommended employers allow for reasonable tardiness, particularly when the employee can evidence, they are commuting through a busy area, and relax normal rules on coming to work late. There may also be the ability for the person to temporarily work from home. If not, they can discuss the alternative options of taking the day as annual leave or unpaid leave if they are unable to attend work at all.
The Queen’s death may be a difficult time for many, and some may need to be provided with effective support. Even those who are not fans of the Royal Family may be affected by her death due to associated memories and feelings that may re-surface. An employee assistance program (EAP) may be able to provide professional counselling and support, to allow employees to effectively manage bereavement and trauma. Additionally, where you have trained mental health first aiders, they may be able to identify individuals who may be struggling with their emotional wellbeing and signpost them to helpful resources
As further information is made available should it be applicable to businesses, we shall communicate it to you.
Should you need advice and support please call your lead consultant or our head office.
