Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday is a globally televised event that has been planned for decades – yet is packed into just 10 days. “I’ve been in the business so long that I first started rehearsing for Bridges Events 30 years ago,” said presenter Dermot Murnaghan, 64, referring to an internal code name for the deaths of bigwigs. The presenter, who will co-host Sky News’ funeral coverage with Anna Botting, said preparations had been quietly ramping up since the summer. “I’ve been traveling with a black tie in my back pocket for the past few weeks. We saw her photos with Boris, we knew she had mobility issues and was 96 years old.” But even the best-laid plans can fall apart, as Murnaghan discovered last Thursday when he told viewers the Queen had died. “I ended up making the announcement in the pouring rain holding an umbrella, my phone and with water peeing down my neck.” Almost every major British television channel – with the exception of Channel 5, which is showing The Emoji Movie – has cleared its schedule for royal coverage on Monday. For the most part, viewers will see the same raw images of the main events on BBC, ITV and Sky News. All three shops have coordinated in a plan to pool their resources in order to provide a single national video feed of the proceedings. “There are probably not many pieces of outdoor broadcast equipment in Britain that are not involved in this event,” said Michael Jermey, director of news at ITV. “People will be dripping with cables and cameras all this weekend.” Cameras which were due to film the arrival of Coronation Street stars at the canceled National Television Awards have been repositioned to cover the funeral of a monarch. Top broadcast technicians arrived in Amsterdam for an industry conference when the Queen’s death was announced, only to return immediately to London to begin installing equipment. ITV’s Jermey said the clustered footage meant each broadcaster’s coverage of the funeral would be shaped by the tone of its presenters and pundits. His channel is based on Tom Bradby and Julie Etchingham, with a promise to keep interference to a minimum. “It will be possible to watch ITV and see the events happening in front of you without too much interruption from commentators or people talking,” Jermey said. “We will let the events breathe, people will hear the music, hear what the people are saying in the cathedral.” Murnaghan, who will be based at Windsor Castle, said he hoped to stay out of the picture for as long as possible. “This is a ceremony that has evolved over the centuries with costumes and wands, it’s about letting the images do the talking.” He said he had a rule for when he needed to make an intervention: “Do it formally, do it quickly and shut up.” A car carrying King Charles III drives past live television scenes near Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Photo: Vadim Ghirdă/AP Viewership is likely to be high, even at a time when fewer people are getting their news from broadcast channels. The BBC, which has rarely interrupted its royal coverage since the Queen died, will rely on Huw Edwards and Kirsty Young to lead its coverage, assisted by Fergal Keane, David Dimbleby and Sophie Raworth. Millions more people are expected to watch online streams on sites like YouTube or TikTok. There were jitters at the BBC after its iPlayer service struggled to cope with the number of people trying to broadcast the news of the Queen’s death. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. British channels have also had to deal with requests for help from international broadcasters. American TV networks have sent some of their top anchors to London, with the likes of NBC Today anchor Savannah Guthrie flying to London to host. While major international broadcasters have long-term agreed logistics plans, channels from smaller countries have been left scrambling for space for news anchors after failing to book hotel balconies with a suitable backdrop. There is particular demand overseas for British ‘royal experts’ with stereotypical expressions who can explain various traditions to overseas viewers, with one delighted partner admitting they made thousands of pounds last week touring different channels. However, one thing you won’t find in British television’s royal funeral coverage is much discussion of republicanism or the future of the monarchy. Jermey said ITV had covered the arrests of anti-royal protesters and free speech issues in its broadcasts, but at the moment the coverage “is basically around a funeral”. That view was echoed by Murnaghan, who said there would be time to discuss “wide-ranging issues” about the monarchy in the future. “It’s a funeral,” he said. “A week before the Queen died I was at my mother’s funeral and I was reading a eulogy and the proper order of funerals is to maintain respect. We have to know how to behave.”
