What Will the Queen Do When Brexit Happens? This Is What We Know

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published 4 February 2019

British officials are anticipating riots in the streets when the Brexit deal is set to officially go through this spring. So, what does this mean for the Queen and the rest of the royal family? They may need to follow a special evacuation plan to protect themselves, according to the New York Times.

In case you're unfamiliar with Brexit, the term refers to the United Kingdom's 2016 decision to leave the European Union (EU). The original vote was held in June 2016, but U.K. citizens are very split about it (it only won 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent.) Per BBC, the vote included an agreement to "invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which gives the two sides two years to agree the terms of the split."

British Prime Minister Theresa May began this process on March 29, 2017, which means the two years is up on March 29, though the country was given an extension until mid-April. During these past two years, the U.K. has been scrabbling to figure out the terms under which Brexit would happen. Since citizens remain very split about the vote, the country is preparing for the possibility of riots, putting the safety of the Queen and the royal family at risk, even though they are expected to remain neutral on political matters.

So, what does this reported evacuation plan look like?

"These emergency evacuation plans have been in existence since the Cold War, but have now been repurposed in the event of civil disorder following a no-deal Brexit," according to The Sunday Times.

The British newspaper reports the plan is based on Operation Candid, "an evacuation strategy designed after the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962—to prepare for the possibility of a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union." The royal family would have originally boarded the royal Brittania and hid in "Scottish sea lochs," but since the yacht stopped service in 1997 they would now board the Hebridean Princess cruise ship.

It's unclear if all royal family members, including Harry, Meghan, Kate, and Will, would follow this evacuation plan with the Queen and Prince Philip if things got too dangerous.

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Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.