Daily Mail; 'We've all been preparing for this for 10-15 years': GMB's Ben Shephard discusses rehearsing for the Queen's death as a live broadcaster and says 'there's a protocol'

Story from Daily Mail:

Ben Shephard admitted that he and his Good Morning Britain colleagues have been preparing for the Queen's death for 'years.'

The announcement of the Queen's passing was made around 6.30pm on Thursday evening. She died aged 96, with Buckingham Palace confirming the news in a statement.

And during a chat with Andrew Marr, 63, on Monday, Ben, 47, explained he had rehearsed what to do should the queen pass away mid-broadcast.

Marr was live on the radio when the sad news emerged and had broken down as he shared the news with the nation.

Talking about that moment, Ben said: 'It's gripping to listen to because of course you're doing what great broadcasters do and you're talking about something that you can feel is coming but you don't know when it's going to happen.

'And obviously, the news comes through whilst you're live, whilst you're talking. And then you have to interrupt yourself.'

'All of us here at various times over the last 10/15 years have prepared for this, have rehearsed for this. We'll plan what's going to happen - there's a protocol about it all.

'But the reality of that moment for all of us has struck really hard.'

And talking to Andrew about how he felt having to break the news of the Queen's death, he said: 'We all knew it was going to happen.

'Of course it wasn't a surprise, she was 96. We're all human and all that. And yet it wasn't a surprise, but it was a shock.

'And that I think is because we've lived all our lives of the Queen as part of the backdrop. She's always been there.

'It's like part of the landscape has suddenly been removed.'

The Queen will lie in state in London ahead of her funeral.

Lying in state is usually reserved for sovereigns, current or past queen consorts, and sometimes former Prime Ministers.

During the formal occasion, the closed coffin is placed on view, as thousands of people queue to file past and pay their respects.

The late monarch’s lying in state in Westminster Hall opens to the public at 5pm on Wednesday and it will be open 24 hours a day until it closes at 6.30am on Monday September 19 – the day of the Queen’s funeral.