Marking the Death of a Senior National Figure Procedure

This protocol sets out the action to be taken in the event of the death of:

H.M. The Queen H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh H.R.H. The Prince of Wales H.R.H. The Duchess of Cornwall H.R.H. The Duke of Cambridge H.R.H. The Duchess of Cambridge H.R.H. Prince George of Cambridge H.R.H. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge H.R.H. Prince Louis of Cambridge H.R.H. The Duke of Sussex H.R.H. The Duchess of Sussex H.R.H. The Duke of York H.R.H. The Earl of H.R.H. The Princess Royal H.R.H. The Countess of Wessex

 The Prime Minister  The serving Member of Parliament for the Constituency  A serving Mayor of the Council  A serving member of the Council

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1. Implementation of the protocol on hearing of the death Action Required Authorised by Other Notes Calne Town Council’s Implementation will be The implementing officer mourning Protocol will be authorised by the Director will arrange for to be implemented on the of Council Services or in lowered immediately and formal announcement of their absence The Head books of condolence to the death of any one of of Business. be opened on the next those persons named working day. above Additional information can be found at www.royal.gov.uk

2. flying Action Required Implemented by Other Notes Immediately at the The Caretakers and/ or See the note in Appendix request of the Ground Staff A to this protocol, setting implementing officer, flags out the correct procedure will be lowered to half- for flying a flag at half- mast. mast. If the mourning event is If the death falls on St. not a Royal death, a George’s Day or the decision will need to be period of mourning made on whether and includes St. George’s where flags should be at Day, the flag of the Patron half-mast, responding Saint should be replaced appropriately based on by the Union Flag at half- national advice. mast. See Appendix C for further information on the lowering of flags for the Prime Minister and other officials. Applicable only following The Caretakers and/ or the death of the Ground Staff Sovereign:

On Proclamation Day The funeral of the (D+1) (the day following Sovereign will take place the death of the 10 days after the day of Sovereign, when the new death. For other senior Sovereign is proclaimed) members of the Royal flags will - at 11.00hrs - Family the number of be raised to full mast and days will be fewer, usually flown throughout the day 8 days after the day of at full mast. death.

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On the day following Proclamation Day (D+2) all flags are to be lowered to half mast until 0800 hours on the morning following the State Funeral (day of death plus 11 days).

For all others identified in The phrase “Usual local the list, flags in the Town arrangements” should be of Calne will fly at half- read as meaning that mast on the day of the where a flag is usually announcement of the flown it can, on the day death. On subsequent following the funeral, days the usual local again be flown at full arrangements will resume mast. If no flag is usually (see note opposite) until flown, the flag can be the day of the funeral taken down. when they will again fly at half-mast.

3. Books of Condolence A location for the books will be made available so that those signing the books can have a moment of privacy and quiet reflection whilst doing so. Action Required Implemented by Other Notes On the day Head of Business – to organise to A table covered with a following the make sure a member of staff is in white table cloth and announcement of attendance whilst the Book of chair should be the death of the Condolence is open provided, and a suitable Sovereign or a floral display should be member of the procured and placed on Royal family the table, along with the named on page 1, book of condolence, and a Book of a framed photograph Condolence will be (draped with a black opened at the ribbon) (pens to be Town Hall. made available)

A framed photograph of the Suitable photographs of Sovereign or the Royal Family are senior member of available to download the Royal family from www.royal.gov.uk will be put in place

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on the table with the Book of Condolence.

Book of Consideration should be Condolence will be given to an electronic open from 0930– Book of Condolence to 1630, Monday – be opened on the CTC Friday, and will website remain open until the day following the funeral.

4. Focal Point for Grief On the death of a member of the royal family or a senior national figure, members of the public may wish to visit a designated area as a focal point for grief. They might wish to lay flowers and other tributes or to reflect and remember. Action Required Implemented by Other Notes The designated area for Director of Council A map will be attached to members of the public to Services, Head of the door of the Town Hall lay flowers will be Calne Operations and Town showing where the Town Town Gardens Grounds Staff. Gardens are.

Tributes will be carefully removed the day following the state funeral.

4. Statement Action Required Implemented by Other Notes The Town Mayor will Director of Council issue a statement via the Services and the Town Director of Council Mayor Services expressing the sadness of the Council and people of Calne at hearing of the death of ,,,,,,,,,

The statement will also confirm that flags will be flown at half-mast and will

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inform where Books of Condolence will be available.

The statement will be Head of Business and Consideration should be published on the home Publicity & Promotions given to publishing the page of the Council Officer statement on the notice website. boards around Calne Town Centre and the local paper.

5. Events and Engagements during the period of Mourning Action Required Implemented by Other Notes To review any planned Director of Services, Consideration should also engagements to be Head of Business and be given to any working undertaken by the Town holders of the Mayor group meetings internal or Mayor and ensure they diary. external are appropriate in a time of national mourning and that they sit comfortable with the national mood.

To review the programme Director of Council of events and ensure they Services, Head of are appropriate in the Business, Head of time of national mourning. Leisure and Events Officer. To review any bookings at Beversbrook Sports Facility and the Town Hall especially on the day of the funeral

If it is deemed appropriate The Town Mayor and for any Full Council or Director of Council Committee meetings to Services continue to be held then a minutes silence will take place at the start of the meeting

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6. Dress Code Action Required Implemented by Other Notes A stock of black ties, Committee Clerk to The stock of black ties, mourning rosettes and distribute where and rosettes and armbands to black armbands will be when appropriate. be held with the robes of available for use by the office. Councillors, Director of Armbands are to be worn Council Services and on the left arm Senior Officers of the Council following the death of the Sovereign or senior figure.

On the death of the Sovereign, from the day of death until and including the day of the funeral the Chains of Office will not be worn, they will be replaced with a black tie or rosette as appropriate. The covering of the mace The mace will have a Town Hall Caretaker with the black bag will black bag tied around it. and/or Mace Bearer apply when it is in use and when it is on public display.

7. Marking by Silence Action Required Implemented by Other Notes Where the death of a The Silence is likely to senior member of the take place at 11.00hrs on Royal Family is to be the day of the funeral. marked by a Silence an The funeral will take place announcement will be on the day of death +10 made by Buckingham (D+10) for the Sovereign Place. and day of death +8 (D+8) for other senior The Public Observing of Publicity and Promotions Royals. Buckingham the Silence to be Officer Palace will confirm the publicised on the Council time and date of silence. website

The Town Mayor (and/or Director of Services Note: The day of the Deputy Town Mayor) to and/or Head of Business funeral of the Sovereign is likely to be a national day

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lead the Silence outside of mourning where most the Town Hall. All businesses/contractors Members of CTC, will close. Director of Services and Senior Management to be encouraged to be present. 

8. Letter of Condolence from Calne Town Council Action Required Implemented by Other Notes As soon as practical, a Director of Council letter of condolence will Services be drafted and circulated to the Town Mayor, before dispatch the day after the State Funeral to the next of kin, or in the case of the Sovereign’s death, the letter should be sent to the new Sovereign’s Private Secretary asking that condolences be passed to the new Sovereign.

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Appendix A  Authoritative information on flag flying can be found on the website of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the College of Arms. Details can also be found on the website of the www.flaginstitute.org  The guidance given by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Flag Institute must be adhered to.  Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds of the way up the flagpole with at least the height of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the flagpole. Flags cannot be flown at half-mast on poles that are more than 45º from the vertical but a mourning cravat can be used instead.  When a flag is to be flown at half-mast, it should first be raised all the way to the top of the mast, allowed to remain there for a second and then be lowered to the half-mast position. When it is being lowered from the half-mast, it should again be raised to the top of the mast for a second before being fully lowered.  All other flags must not be flown, i.e. the flag and Britain in Bloom flag at Town Gardens must be taken down.

Appendix B  The statement should begin with a suitable expression of sadness of Calne Town Council on hearing the announcement. It would go on to state that flags will be flown at half-mast.  If it is an occasion when books of condolence will be opened, then reference should be made to that.  When a decision has been taken on the council’s programme of events and engagements, it might be stated that events are being cancelled as a mark of respect or that they will begin with a period of silence.  If in doubt, do not rush out a statement which commits Calne Town Council to action before that action has been discussed and has the necessary agreement from the Town Mayor and/or Deputy mayor.

Appendix C Upon the death of those individuals listed below, the Union flag at the Town Hall and Town Gardens will be lowered to half-mast and be marked by a one minute silence.  The Prime Minister (time of silence to be directed by the Sovereign/government).  A serving Town Mayor (time and place of silence to be directed by the Director of Council Services in conjunction with the Deputy Town Mayor).

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Version 1

Approved 10 June 2019

Review 2021

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