On the morning of Her Majesty's funeral, the chimes of Big Ben will fill the air at 9am. The sound will be different to usual and will be muffled due to a piece of leather covering the hammer that hits the bell.

In 2026, Big Ben (the Great Bell) is occasionally muffled or silenced to protect the hearing of workers performing localized maintenance or to observe periods of national mourning and remembrance. Although the massive four-year restoration of the Elizabeth Tower concluded a few years ago, the bell chimes at a staggering 118 decibels—a volume that can cause permanent hearing damage in seconds for anyone working inside the belfry. When technicians need to inspect the clock mechanism or the bells themselves, they use thick leather pads to "muffle" the hammers, resulting in a dull thud rather than the famous resonant toll. Additionally, the bells are traditionally muffled for specific solemn events, such as the funeral of a high-ranking statesman or Remembrance Sunday. This is achieved by placing a leather "buffer" on one side of the clapper, which creates a "lamenting" sound where every other strike is quieted, a practice that has been a part of British tradition for centuries to signify a period of national reflection.