'Operation Menai Bridge': King Charles’ aides reviewing his funeral plans, reports suggest

Buckingham Palace officials are regularly updating plans for King Charles' funeral in the wake of his recent health issues, media reports suggested.

The 75-year-old British monarch has been largely away from the limelight since his cancer diagnosis in February.

In a report published in The Daily Beast, multiple sources were quoted as saying that the monarch's condition is “not good”.

“Of course, he is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it. Everyone is staying optimistic, but he isreallyvery unwell. More than they are letting on,” an old friend of the royal family was quoted as saying by the outlet.

It has not been revealedwhat kind of cancer King Charles has been diagnosed with, however, it was clarified that it is not prostate cancer.

Meanwhile, the royal family has maintained that the King is “respondingreallywell” to treatment.

Is regular review of “Operation Menai Bridge” a standard procedure?

It has been reported that the aides ofKing Charlesare regularly reviewing copies of his royal funeral plans, codenamed “Operation Menai Bridge", which is a several-hundred-page document.

“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date. It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds,” said a former staffer, while speaking to the Daily Beast.

The British royalty created the detailed document a day after the burial of Queen Elizabeth on September 8, 2022.

As per the Daily Beast, military officials clarified that Operation Menai Bridge is being updated regularly, but added that it was standard procedure and that it would be “absurd to read anything into” that fact.

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Funeral plans for British monarchs is nothing new. In fact, all members of the UK's royal family have such plans which are periodically updated.

The plans are categorised by bridge-based codewords. Queen Elizabeth’s was famously named “Operation London Bridge.”

The death plan of King Charles has been named over the suspension bridge which connects the island of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland.

“The whole thing goes from flash to bang in under two weeks which means every aspect of it needs to be meticulously plannedin advance. Serious planning for Charles’ funeral began the day after they buried the queen," saida senior official, who has been involved in the planning of royal funerals.

(With inputs from agencies)