London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

London police say queen's funeral poses biggest ever security test

London police say queen's funeral poses biggest ever security test

London's police force said the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth will be the biggest security operation it has ever undertaken as prime ministers, presidents and royals come together on Monday to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

The queen's funeral is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people to London's streets, echoing other important events in Britain's history, including her coronation in 1953, the funeral of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1965 and the death of Princess Diana in 1997.

Stuart Cundy, London's Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner, said the force was preparing for events ranging from terrorism threats to protests and crowd crushes.

He said his force would be deploying the largest ever number of officers on the city's streets and the largest protection operation for world leaders and royals in the police's almost 200 year history, with officers from almost every force in the country deployed.

Among the specialist officers on duty will be divers, dog handlers, police on horses, motorcycle outriders, firearms officers and close protection officers, who will guard leaders and members of the royal family from around the world.

U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the most high-profile guests from overseas who have confirmed they will be attending.

Cundy said the massive policing operation would surpass other major policing events in London, including the 2012 Olympics and the celebrations in June for the queen's Platinum Jubilee, which celebrated her 70 years on the British throne.

To give an idea of the scale of the operation, Cundy said 22 miles (36 km) of barriers had been deployed in central London to help control the crowds.

"There’s absolutely nothing that compares to our policing operation this week, and particularly on Monday for the state funeral," Cundy told Reuters. "This will be the single largest policing operation that the Met police has ever undertaken and I think is every likely to undertake."


PROTESTS


The police operation will be overseen by Mark Rowley, who is in his first week in the job as the head of London's police after rejoining the force having previously served as the national lead for counter-terrorism.

London police have so far made 34 arrests in the run up to the funeral, but none of them were related to protests. There has been criticism that in Scotland police had been overly heavy-handed in dealing with those voicing objection.

"People have the right to protest," Cundy said. "Our response will be proportionate, it will be balanced, and our officers will only be taking action where it is absolutely necessary."

Tim De Meyer, the assistant chief constable of Thames Valley Police, who will be in charge of the policing operation in Windsor where the queen will be taken from London to be buried, said the public will face airport-style screening.

"Our contingency planning considers a whole range of different scenarios which includes everything from terror attacks to criminal activity to crowd surges and crushing," Cundy said.

Two police officers were stabbed in an incident unrelated to the funeral, or terrorism, in central London on Friday which he said brought "into sharp focus, the need for all officers who are on duty, the members of the public, to keep that vigilance".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×