The British royal family adopts code names for reasons of security when traveling or at important events. These pseudonyms are used to plan trips, ceremonies and protocols related to the deaths of royal members.
The Queen isabel II, for example, used the name ‘Sharon’ in certain contexts to go unnoticed. He prince philipknown as the Duke of Edinburgh, called Queen Elizabeth II “Cabbage” (“cabbage”). For its part, Princess Diana awarded to prince william the nickname ‘Wombat’ after a tour of Australia. In the 90s, when prince edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones They began dating, Eduardo used the name ‘Richard’ when organizing their dates.
King Charles and Queen Camilla They are known for referring to each other as “Fred” and “Gladys,” respectively, in honor of a joke from the old comedy radio series “The Goon Show.” These personal and pet names differ from code names used in security circumstances.
Members of the British royal family have code names for avoid security risks. These secret names are used especially in trips and public events, where careful and discreet planning is essential. These practices cover a wide range of situations, from royal weddings to funerals and coronations, ensuring that royal movements and plans are maintained. confidential.
When the Queen isabel II died in 2022, the Operation London Bridgeincluding the detailed and rigorous protocol that the BBC should follow in these cases. Upon her death, the queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Youngused the code phrase “London Bridge is down” to inform Prime Minister Liz Truss of the news. This phrase was probably chosen for its reference to the famous nursery rhyme “London Bridge is Falling Down” and perhaps also because of the proximity of London Bridge to Buckingham Palace, approximately five kilometers away.
However, because the queen died outside London, at her residence in the Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshirethe Operation Unicorn, a procedure intended to manage the eventuality of the monarch dying in Scotland. Name unicorn refers to the Scottish unicorn, the heraldic symbol of the Stuart dynasty that appears on the British coat of arms and is also the national animal of Scotland.
Before his death, Queen isabel II She was known among her staff and security team as “Sharon.” Or simply “Y” during your daily activities to avoid drawing attention to your presence and preventing someone from intercepting communications about your arrival.
Royal funeral protocol was also important during the death of the Queen Mother, Elizabethin 2002. Then, the Operation Tay Bridge. This code was named after the famous Tay railway bridge, which connects Fife with the city of Dundee in south-west Scotland. Part of the plans for this operation were also used when the Princess Diana He passed away unexpectedly in 1997.
The codes are not only used for deaths and funerals, but also as a security measure in critical situations. For example, when the King Charles III He was still Prince of Wales, he carried the code Menai Bridge, in reference to the 19th-century suspension bridge connecting the island of Anglesey to the Welsh mainland. This protocol had to be put into practice in 1988 when a avalanche hit the Swiss ski resort where Carlos was on vacation, and his whereabouts were unknown for a time. Although Carlos was unharmed, a member of his ski group died.
For happier events, such as the coronation, there are also designated codes and operations. In the case of King Charles IIIhis coronation in 2022 was prepared under the name of Operation Golden Orb. This name refers to one of the jewel-encrusted symbols of sovereignty used during the coronation ceremony.
In the case of King George VIfather of Isabel II, the code used was “Hyde Park Corner” when he died in 1952. This term served to discreetly inform the palace and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Sir Alan Lascelles, the king’s private secretary, communicated the news by telephone to his assistant with the phrase “Hyde Park Corner. Go and tell Mr. Churchill and Queen Mary”, mother of George VI. This procedure was created to ensure that the palace telephone exchange operators did not learn the news before the royal family themselves.
On the other hand, the Duke of Edinburgh, Philiphusband of Isabel II, was assigned the code “Forth Bridge”, referring to the iconic railway bridge in Scotland that connects Edinburgh to Fife in the Firth of Forth. This code was activated in April 2021 when He died at the age of 99.
