It’s no secret that meticulous plans have been in place for years in the event of the Queen passing away. But now details of what is exactly in those plans have surfaced. Here are the key points you need to know:

The second she dies, Charles will be king.

Sir Christopher Geidt - the Queen’s private secretary - will be the very first person to start spreading the news, contacting whoever is prime minister at the time.

Code word ‘London Bridge’ will be used to prevent switchboard operators from finding out, and civil servants will say “London Bridge is down” on secure lines.

The news will then go out to the 15 governments across the world where the Queen is head of state, and the 36 other nations of the Commonwealth.

It is then that the rest of the world will find out when news agency announcements and bulletins start to go out.

While news channels and social media start to go into meltdown mode, a footman in dark clothes will emerge from Buckingham Palace to pin an official notice to the gates. At the same time, the palace website will darken and will limit to only one page showing the same message as the notice on the gates.

All the major news organisations around the globe are said to already have days worth of coverage stored under lock and key which will be unleashed onto the public in a mad scramble.

Newsreaders will be required to wear black, be that suit, tie, blouse, or dress, and it is also understood that programmes on certain channels and radio stations will stop to be interrupted. On BBC stations, the National Anthem will blare and the Union Jack flag will be displayed on TV screens across the nation.

Prince William will become the Prince of Wales, taking over from Charles, while Kate becomes Princess of Wales, as Diana was once.

Before her burial, the Queen’s body will lie in State for public viewing in Westminster Hall for a staggering 23 hours a day up until the funeral 12 days after her death.

The information has been revealed in a detailed report by The Guardian based on various emergency plans in already in place.