London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Oct 03, 2026

Queen's funeral: Policing an 'enormous success', says police chief

Queen's funeral: Policing an 'enormous success', says police chief

Policing of the Queen's funeral and the period of national mourning was "an enormous success", the officer in charge has said.

The day of the funeral itself was the Met Police's largest-ever operation.

Code named Operation London Bridge, it involved officers from across the UK supporting events in London, Windsor, Norfolk and Scotland.

Gold commander, Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi, praised officers and thanked the public for their support.

At least 67 people were arrested in London on Monday as part of the police operation for the state funeral, the Met has said.

The police chief in charge of the operation says it was "an enormous success"


Ms D'Orsi, who since March 2021 has served as chief constable of the British Transport Police, said: "From a policing perspective, I think it's been an enormous success.

"What made this operation different to ones we routinely do is that there was no notice.

"The operation starts from the minute that we were aware of the death of Her Majesty and that makes it fundamentally different to any other operation."

She added that it was "too early to tell" the full cost of the operation, which was the largest ever ceremonial policing operation.

The operation involved the "largest ever deployment of hostile vehicle mitigation" with large vehicle barriers blocking off the entrances to roads in central London such as The Mall, Ms D'Orsi said.

Monday's funeral was the Met's largest ever policing operation


Around 650 protection officers, firearms officers and armed response vehicles were sent out over the 10 days of mourning, with over 500 specialist search teams trained to scour key landmarks and buildings where crowds gathered.

Thousands more officers also supported local events and more than 50 police dogs trained in explosives and firearms detection were deployed.

Thames Valley Police was responsible for policing the operation after the funeral procession left the capital and arrived in Windsor, where the Queen was finally laid to rest.

Assistant Chief Constable Tim De Meyer said it was "among the largest operations in our force history".

"I must also thank local residents and businesses and the many visitors to our town for their support and co-operation," he said.

"It was a pleasure for colleagues to meet and speak with them over the last 10 days."

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: "This was the largest ever ceremonial policing operation, seeing thousands of officers deployed from forces across the United Kingdom to manage and oversee this unparalleled event, including ensuring the safety of the Royal Family and foreign dignitaries during the state funeral.

"I have seen first-hand the professionalism, dedication and skill of officers, who should be immensely proud of their work."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Church of England to Apologize for Role in Historical Forced Adoptions
UK Defence Ministry Investigates Historical Use of RAF Bases by Jeffrey Epstein
Scottish Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low
Welsh First Minister Calls for Expanded Devolution Settlement
UK Pledges £50 Million to Expand Domestic Military Drone Capabilities
UK Opens First Commercial Geothermal Plant in Cornwall
Green Party Wins Gorton and Denton By-Election as Labour Falls to Third
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Opens Review of UK-EU Relationship
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%, Adding Pressure on Household Finances
UK Removes VAT From Domestic Electricity Bills to Ease Winter Energy Costs
Counterterrorism Police Arrest Sixth Suspect Over RAF Fairford Incident
UK Councils to Receive Sweeping Planning Powers to Ban New Vape and Betting Shops
Chancellor John Healey Faces Tax and Pension Scrutiny Ahead of Autumn Budget
Metropolitan Police Apologise for Accidental Disclosure in High-Profile Investigation
UK Universities Report Record International Enrolment as Housing Pressure Grows
UK Logistics Firms Monitor Rhine Disruption as Low Water Threatens European Supply Chains
UK Food Industry Warns Inflation Could Approach 7%
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and Mandatory Retail Stamps
Scotland Raises Property Taxes and Expands Child Payment in Annual Budget
Greggs Plans Four Factory Closures With 740 Jobs at Risk
OECD Raises UK 2026 Growth Forecast to 1.1%
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Bank of England Faces Rate Debate
Andy Burnham Criticises Brexit and Says Rejoining EU Single Market Remains an Option
UK Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Military Networks and Propagandists
UK Launches Nationwide Early-Release Prison Scheme
Andy Burnham Says Security Services See Signs of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Incident
Manchester City Found Guilty on Premier League Financial Charges After Independent Investigation
Scottish Court to Rule on Bid to Force No-Confidence Vote Against Aberdeen Council Co-Leader
UK Bans Extra Charges for Seating Children Under 12 Beside Accompanying Adults
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and New Licensing Requirements
Greggs to Close Four UK Factories and Cut 740 Jobs
Hundreds of Prisoners Released Early as England and Wales Prisons Reach 98% Capacity
UK Unveils New Russia Sanctions Targeting War Funding and Shadow Fleet
Burnham Says There Are Strong Indications of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Security Breach
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Reviewing Britain's Post-Brexit EU Relationship
Markets Price in Bank of England Rate Increases as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
UK Borrowing Costs Climb Toward 5.5% as Global Bond Sell-Off Intensifies
UK-France One-In-One-Out Migration Agreement Expires as London Seeks Alternative Measures
Southwest England Faces Flood Alerts After Heavy Autumn Storms
UK Expands Funding for Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Welsh Government Approves Funding to Upgrade South Wales Transport
Northern Ireland Tensions Rise as Orange Order Rejects Drumcree Compromise
NHS Leaders Back Early Design of Proposed National Care Service
More Than One-Third of Regional UK Universities Face Financial Deficits
UK Current Account Deficit Narrows as Cross-Border Financial Flows Remain Strong
Bank of England and FCA Issue New Rules for Stablecoins and Digital Assets
MI5 Warns UK Universities Over Research Links With Chinese Institutions
UK Energy Price Cap Rises 4% as Electricity VAT Is Temporarily Suspended
Equity Calls for UK Personality Rights to Protect Performers From AI Replication
OpenAI Pauses Advanced Model Training Following Safety Concerns
×