‘Operation Menai Bridge’: What Happens If King Charles III Dies?

Less than two years after Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, her son, King Charles III, released a statement through Buckingham Palace announcing his cancer diagnosis. Although the prognosis is allegedly positive, there are already protocols in place in case the worst happens.

After reigning for 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, 2022, and her son, King Charles III, took over immediately as the rest of the royal family and staff adopted a protocol known as “Operation London Bridge.”

A similar strategy has already been set in place in case King Charles III’s health takes a turn for the worst. Called “Operation Menai Bridge,” this arrangement shares several similarities with “London Bridge,” but the difference is mainly how it’ll affect the monarchy and the British people.

Britain's King Charles III wearing the Imperial state Crown in central London on May 6, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Britain’s King Charles III wearing the Imperial state Crown in central London on May 6, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth at their Windsor home in 1969 | Source: Getty Images

Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth at their Windsor home in 1969 | Source: Getty Images

King Charles III’s Cancer Diagnosis

On February 5, 2024, Buckingham Palace released a surprising statement about the reigning monarch’s health. “During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” the palace’s Instagram account wrote.