The Big Ben Fail That Saw It Join British Mourners In Silent Solidarity For The Queen

Big Ben has been a symbol of the United Kingdom since 1859 (per Britannica). The official name of the tower in London housing this British cultural icon was originally St. Stephen's Tower. Then, in 2012, the massive clock was given a new moniker to honor Queen Elizabeth II's 60th year on the throne: Elizabeth Tower. People around the world still affectionately use the nickname Big Ben to refer to both the clock and the tower.

Today at 8 p.m. local time in the UK, Britain united for a minute of silence ahead of the queen's funeral tomorrow. Big Ben was supposed to toll to mark the start and the end of this National Moment of Reflection, but the clock failed to toll, staying as silent as the mourners.

"We have investigated this as a matter of urgency and have identified a minor technical issue that has now been resolved," a government official told the Daily Mail. "We will be testing the bell again later tonight and are confident that it will not affect the tolling tomorrow during the State Funeral procession."

According to Time, Big Ben will toll non-stop after Queen Elizabeth II's funeral ends on September 19, 2022, and the coffin is transported through London. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has indicated that during the procession, the coffin will travel from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, where it will then be moved into a hearse and transported to Windsor.