Petition started for permanent bank holiday to be created in memory of The Queen

A petition has been started to request a permanent bank holiday following the death of the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II died yesterday (8 September) in Balmoral, Scotland surrounded by her family.

The petition follows news that there likely won't be a bank holiday for the Queen's funeral.

According to Politico, there was a pre-agreement between both the Prime Minister and the Queen regarding the outcome of a state funeral.

It was agreed that the funeral day would mark a ‘Day of National Mourning’ - which would ‘effectively be a bank holiday’ but without the same title.

Due to this agreement, the likely decision will be to have a ‘Day of National Mourning’ rather than a bank holiday.

Employers are not expected to be forced to give workers the day off.

Citing official documents, Politico explained that, if the funeral happened to fall during the working week, the matter was between employees and their staff as opposed to the government.

It was also agreed upon that if the funeral fell either on the weekend or during an existing bank holiday, an extra bank holiday would not be granted. 

As the funeral is set to take place 10 days after the death of the Queen, it is expected that her funeral shall fall on 19 September - which is a Monday.

This hasn't stopped people demanding an extra bank holiday, with someone even suggesting a permanent bank holiday to honour the UK's longest serving monarch.

Yesterday, Pete Milne launched a petition to 'make 8 September a permanent national Bank holiday in memory of HM Queen Elizabeth II'.

However, at the time of writing only a handful of people have signed it.

Buckingham Palace announced the passing of Her Majesty yesterday with the statement: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

"The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

The Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, assumed the title immediately and was joined with Camilla who is now Queen Consort.

The 73-year-old will be officially proclaimed as King tomorrow (10 September) at St James’s Palace by the Garter King of Arms.

The late Queen is due to be buried in Windsor Castle's King George VI Memorial Chapel.

Philip’s coffin will moved from the Royal Vault to be rest alongside his wife.