What Happens When the Queen Dies?

Queen Elizabeth II is the United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch, outstripping Queen Victoria and every other predecessor. She’s been on the throne so long, she’s the only head of state most Britons remember. So what happens when she goes?

The latest installment of our series on the befuddling intricacies of the British royal family looks at a somewhat grim but inevitable moment in history: The dramatic upheaval that will ensue when Queen Elizabeth goes to her eternal reward. What happens next has been planned down to the smallest details for years. And then the big question: Are you ready for King Charles III?