Buckingham Palace has prepared a separate scenario in case of the death of Princess Kate Middleton of Wales. This was reported by royal observer Bertrand Deckers in his book “Kate – The Day When…”, the French edition of Le Figaro reports.
The operation was codenamed Operation Reading Bridge in honor of the city of Reading, where Kate was born. Prince William himself chose the name for the plan. According to the author of the book, this is not only a symbolic gesture but also “almost a declaration of love” from the heir to the British throne.
Interestingly, the abbreviation O.R.B. also refers to one of the sculptures near the Tower of London – a globe topped with a cross. The latter, in turn, resembles the sovereign, which is traditionally placed in the monarch’s left hand during the coronation.
In March 2024, Kate Middleton announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer. In January 2025, it became known that the disease had gone into remission after a successful course of chemotherapy.
The Bridge in Reading plan is part of a broader tradition of preparing for possible tragedies in the royal family. For example, the death of Prince Philip was codenamed Operation Fort Bridge, the death of Queen Elizabeth II was Operation London Bridge, and a scenario called Menai Bridge has already been developed for King Charles III.