Tens of thousands of mourners queue through the night to pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth as the line reaches three miles at start of the second day of her lying-in-state
- Well-wishers are queuing overnight to pay their final respects to the Queen as she lies in state at Westminster
- Up to a million mourners are expected to queue up to 10 miles to see the Queen’s coffin over next four days
- Royal fans are camping out in sleeping bags overnight and sheltering under their brollies amid downpours
- Met Police officers, volunteers and stewards are all managing the queue, which has reached three miles
- It comes after tens of thousands lined streets yesterday to watch procession from Buckingham Palace
- Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing
Tens of thousands of mourners are queuing through the night to pay their final respects to the Queen as her coffin sits inside the Palace of Westminster.
Adoring crowds sang hymns and ate ‘pizza blessed by God’ after camping overnight and waiting hours to be granted access to Westminster Hall, where the fallen monarch is lying in state until 6.30am on Monday.
At 1.30am, the queue to access the Palace of Westminster had reached nearly three miles as officials expect some 400,000 people to view the coffin over the coming days.
The coffin continues to be guarded at all hours by units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.
Metropolitan Police officers, volunteers and stewards are managing the queue while toilets and water fountains are provided at various points along the route.
People waiting in line are also being given a coloured and numbered wristband to manage the queue.
One mourner, Alan Davies, has been handing out biscuits to others queuing around him.
He said: ‘I got here around four and made sure to bring some supplies, I knew some people had been waiting far longer than I have, but it is moving fairly quickly. It’s the best example of how much the Queen meant to us all, queuing in the British weather, rain or sun, for days. Just to say one final goodbye.’
The queue could reach ten miles by Saturday night, with officials planning to implement three miles of airport-style zigzag lines in parks at the beginning and end of the seven-mile planned route.
It came after tens of thousands lined the streets of central London, many of them in tears, to watch the procession as King Charles, William and Harry reunited to mourn and march behind the coffin as part of its journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster at 2.22pm on Wednesday.
A short service was held involving members of the Royal Family, before members of the public were given access to pay their respects from 5pm.
The first member of the public to pay a personal tribute to the Queen told of how she fought back tears after experiencing ‘the most memorable and unique moment of my life’.
Vanessa Nathakumaran, 56, an admin assistant from Harrow, north west London, said she had to battle to control her emotions as the Queen’s coffin came into view.
She told MailOnline: ‘I was trying not to cry. I wanted to pay my respects in a dignified way but it was so hard. There were such mixed emotions. It was a privilege to be here but it was so sad and solemn. It was a moment that will live with me forever.
People stand in line along Southbank overnight as tens of thousands join queues to see Queen’s coffin at the Palace of Westminster
Well-wishers are pictured in the lengthy queue along the Thames Embankment in the early hours of the morning waiting to see the Queen’s coffin
People queue opposite the Houses of Parliament, with some leaving to grab refreshments before rejoining the line towards Westminster Hall
Adoring crowds sang hymns and ate ‘pizza blessed by God’ after camping overnight and waiting hours to be granted access to Westminster Hall
A group of men smile as they wait among hundreds of thousands of mourners to pay their final respects to the Queen following her death on Thursday
The queue for people to pay their final respects to the Queen could stretch for ten miles, officials have warned, as people queue through the night
A cyclists travels past the long queue, with the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye all visible in the background
Downing Street says seven-mile route may be extended to 10 miles
The queue for people to pay their final respects to the Queen could stretch for ten miles and may be closed as early as Saturday night.
Downing Street yesterday said the planned route of almost seven miles will be extended by installing three miles of airport-style zigzag lines in parks at the beginning and end.
Government sources also warned the queue will be closed to new entrants at some point over the weekend when officials decide no more people will be able to make it in time to Westminster Hall to see the Queen lying in state.
The lying-in-state period will end at 6.30am on Monday.
But, with Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan warning that queue times could hit 30 hours, this could mean the line being closed to new entrants in the early hours of Sunday, or even late on Saturday night.
Ministers privately admit they have no idea how many people will descend on London, but they are braced for vast numbers. Provision has been made for the queue to start in Southwark Park in Bermondsey and end at Victoria Tower Gardens by the House of Lords.
The total distance is 6.9 miles, but an additional three miles of ‘queue infrastructure’ has been installed in the parks at the beginning and end, taking the total distance to almost ten miles.
‘It was the most memorable and unique moment of my life. It was so quiet and peaceful and seeing her coffin it really came home to me that she is really gone. I curtsied when I went past and my eye was drawn to the crown on top of the coffin. I feel down wined and shattered.’
But anger has emerged as hundreds of thousands of people are having to stand in line for up to 30 hours while MPs can jump the queue to see the Queen’s coffin and bring in up to four guests.
And thousands continued to flow through the hall overnight, though, members of the public were left aghast when a guard fainted off the podium while holding vigil next to the coffin.
The man had moments earlier briefly stepped off the podium before retaking his place as other servicemen joined him for a changeover.
But seconds later he blacked out and fell forwards, landing sprawled on the stone floor to loud gasps from bystanders queueing to pay their respects.
The live stream also cut out for several minutes as police rushed to the man’s aid.
The Queen’s coffin, which has been placed on a raised platform called a catafalque, is being guarded around the clock by units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division, or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.
Also among the first to see the monarch lying in state was Annie Daley. She told MailOnline: ‘I felt sorrowful being in there with the Queen’s coffin. I found it a shattering experience. The Crown was gleaming atop the coffin, as was the orb and sceptre.
‘When we approached the coffin, everyone was silent, it was so, so quiet. I looked round and the Yeoman guards were like statues.
‘We waited for days and when it came to it the whole experience was over in seconds, we went round the coffin once and down the stairs.’
Annie’s friend Grace Gothard, who was third in the queue and had also been there since Monday, broke down as she said: ‘It was very sad, it reminded me of when my own mother died.
‘I was taken aback to see the Queen lying in state, even though we’d been waiting three days to do so. May she rest in peace.’
Among the others to see the coffin first was Chris Imagidon, who had been queuing since 10am yesterday morning. In television footage, he was be seen raising his top hat as he approached the coffin in a mark of respect.
In tears, Chris, who runs a programme for inner city children called Excellence in Education, told MailOnline: ‘It was so emotional, very poignant and well worth every minute that I waited.
‘It was only when I saw the coffin with my eyes that it struck me, she was gone, our Queen is no longer here. She was more than a Queen she was a mother to the whole nation.
‘I took my hat off as a sign or respect and tears came in my eyes. It was so very sad to see her like that but at the same time it was all very beautiful.
‘All I keep saying to myself is ‘she’s gone, she’s gone’ I still can’t believe it but my message is for people to come and say goodbye to her if you can. It’s the least people can do after 70 years of service.’
At 1.30am, the queue to access the Palace of Westminster had reached nearly three miles as officials expect some 400,000 people to view the coffin over the four days
The Queen’s coffin arrived at Westminster Hall following a procession from Buckingham Palace this afternoon and will remain until her funeral
Annie Daley (centre) Vanessa Nathakumaran (left) and Grace Gothard (right) were the first members of the public to see the Queen’s coffin inside Westminster Hall this evening
An aerial view of the queues of mourners on Lambeth Bridge as they wait to gain entry to the Palace of Westminster
Delroy Morrison, who was fourth in the queue, said he was ‘so emotional’ when he saw the Queen’s coffin and described it as a ‘sad but beautiful moment’
A tearful man brings his hands towards his face as he looks at the Queen’s coffin inside the Palace of Westminster earlier this evening
MPs can jump the queue to see the Queen’s coffin and bring in up to four guests, to the anger of those being forced to wait.
While hundreds of thousands of people are having to stand in line for up to 30 hours along the Thames, MPs and peers are able to walk in to the lying-in-state.
They only have to show their Parliamentary security passes to gain immediate entry to Westminster Hall, where the late monarch’s coffin is resting until her state funeral on Monday.
MPs, who got to witness the arrival of the Queen’s coffin yesterday, are also entitled to four timed entry tickets, letting friends or family to avoid the wait.
Last night their special treatment was condemned by some of the thousands waiting in line for their brief chance to pay their respects.
Julie Newman, 56, said: ‘It is an abuse of privilege. I don’t mind queuing, because everybody queues. But there is no excuse for queue-jumping, it’s not fair.’ Dexter Bowls, 20, said: ‘For something like this, it is not fair. They’re not going to work at this time.’
Another said it was wrong for MPs to be given four free tickets, saying: ‘They shouldn’t be allowed any.’
One woman said: ‘They should be able to queue like everyone else in their own time.’
It can also be revealed that thousands of police officers taking part in the country’s biggest-ever security operation will not get a chance to visit the lying-in-state. Officers are not being granted special access to Westminster Hall and have been told not to visit while on duty nearby.
Fitzgerald Etibio, from Canning Town, said: ‘The atmosphere in the hall was electric. It was quite a moment. It was a privilege to be able to take part in a part of history. It was overwhelming.’
James and Victoria Mottram travelled together from their home in Chislehurst in Kent.
James, 31, said: ‘It was very emotional. I found it quite striking and I think it summed up the complexity of the moment, the sorrow and solemnity of the Queen’s passing together with the comfort and reassurance that she’s now with God, her husband, her parents and sister.
‘There is a now longing for strength for the King as King and for comfort for the nation as a whole.’
Victoria, 27, admitted she broke down and wept when she saw the coffin and fighting back tears, added: ‘It was very profound. I’m struggling for words to sum up the experience.’
Delroy Morrison, 61, from London, who was fourth in the queue after arriving on Monday evening, told MailOnline: ‘The first night was okay but the second night was tough but we kept our spirits up with singing and talking.
‘I’ve loved The Queen since I came here in 1975 and have been to the last three jubilees and Harry and Meghan’s wedding.
‘Waiting all that time was worth every minute and when I walked in and saw the coffin and the crown I was so emotional.
‘I had butterflies in my stomach and tears in my eyes it was a sad moment but a beautiful moment at the same time.’
Earlier, at 4am yesterday, the Archbishop of York entertained tired mourners camping along the Albert Embankment overlooking the Houses of Parliament entertained by singing hymns and even brought pizza which campers joked had probably been blessed – while a former soldier dressed impeccably in a bowler hat and polished shoes said he was keeping himself awake by rocking on his heels.
The veteran told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I’m dressed like this because I served Her Majesty… 22 years in the Army. I figure the least I could do after 70 years is give her another day of my life, so come down here and pay my respects. I did spend a good couple of hours, maybe a little more attention to deal, knowing I’d be seeing Her Majesty again, put my medals on.
‘I’d crumble my clothes if I was to [go to sleep]. It’s an old trick, literally just rocking back and forth on your heels, sips of water… and then crack on’.
An estimated 10,000 people are queueing past Waterloo station towards the Southbank Centre to pay their respects to the late monarch.
The 10-mile queue begins on the Albert Embankment, along Belvedere Road, behind the London Eye. It will then cross Lambeth Bridge and travel along the South Bank past the National Theatre, Tate Modern and HMS Belfast. The back of the queue will be in Southwark Park.
City Hall said all viewing areas for the procession are full, adding that people should instead head to Hyde Park to watch proceedings on large screens.
Officials expect some 400,000 people, some of whom have flown into the UK from abroad, will view the coffin – more than the 300,000 who filed past her father King George VI as he lay in state at Westminster Hall in 1952. But with between 750,000 and a million expected to want to pay tribute, fears are growing that as many as 650,000 could miss out. Many others may struggle to get to London due to the enormous strain that transport networks are set to come under.
TfL bosses have warned the organisation is facing the ‘biggest event and challenge’ in its history, claiming that planning for the Queen’s lying in state and funeral is more complicated than the 2012 Olympics as it is ‘impossible’ to accurately predict crowd sizes.
There will be more than more than 500 Portaloos, 1,000 volunteers, stewards, marshals and police officers on hand at any one time as people queue for the Queen’s lying in state. There will be 779 professional stewards per shift, assisted by 100 civil service volunteer marshals, 40 adult scouts, and 30 members of the first aid nursing yeomanry, as well as Metropolitan Police officers.
There is further queue support from 10 members of the Red Cross, 30 multifaith pastors – co-ordinated by Lambeth Palace – and six Samaritans per shift. There will also be two British Sign Language interpreters in the accessible queue.
Overall, there are 140 Red Cross volunteers from every nation in the UK, 120 from the Scouts, 170 from the Salvation Army, 180 from the Samaritans, 600 from St John Ambulance, and then the wider deployment of military personnel helping with the overall ceremonial events.
Whitehall chiefs in charge of logistics for the historic five-night vigil have estimated mourner numbers could be close to the million people who turned up to view Pope John Paul II when he lay in state in Vatican City in 2005.
Government guidance says the queue is expected to be very long, with people standing for ‘many hours, possibly overnight’ and with very little opportunity to sit down.
People have been also warned off taking children to pay their respects, as the queue could become too arduous for them.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said organisers on the ground will make a decision on any ‘cut-off point’ once they see the ‘scale of people who are attending’.
Numerous people who gathered along the bank of the River Thames insisted on sticking out the poor weather conditions in order to pay their respects to the Queen.
Some brought no waterproof clothing as they stood in the rain, while others donned plastic ponchos.
David Howard, who travelled to Buckingham Palace from Surrey with his wife Sue, likened the Queen to a swan – ‘always graceful on the surface, even if there were all sorts of thoughts and concerns underneath’.
Mr Howard, 59, said: ‘The thing that gets me about her is that she didn’t say anything to be popular, unlike politicians, and so when she did say things, there was a streak of authenticity and honesty, as well as through her actions and the way she lived.
‘I think she read the mood music very well after Diana’s death and realised things had to change.
‘They became far more approachable and modernised, institutionally.’
He added: ‘She was like that classic swan – graceful on the surface, even there were all sorts of thoughts or concerns underneath.’
Guy and Jayne Fazakerley from Cheshire waiting to see the procession taking the Queen’s coffin to the Palace of Westminster
Angela Mitchell, Emily, 12, Tommy, 10, Grace, five, and Jennifer Mitchell
Jane Maher on The Mall waiting to see the procession taking the Queen to Westminster Hall
Royal fans claim their spots to watch the arrival of the coffin of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster
A man wearing red and white face paint and holding flowers poses for a photo with a police officer in London
Royal fans claim their spots at Westminster
King Charles III leaving Clarence House, London, ahead of the ceremonial procession
King Charles III is driven to Buckingham Palace in central London
King Charles arrives at Buckingham Palace
A military horse waits on The Mall ahead of the procession
People gather at The Mall on the day the coffin is transported from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament
Crowds start queuing along The Mall outside Buckingham Palace to watch the Queen’s procession
Around 5,000 mourners are already on The Mall ahead of the Queen’s procession
Union flags lined The Mall ahead of the ceremonial procession taking the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster
People gather at The Mall ahead of the procession
A police van is parked on The Mall ahead of the ceremonial procession taking the Queen to Westminster Hall
Crowds gather along The Mall ahead of the ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
Royal guardsmen and horses pass by on the day the coffin is transported from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
People take place behind fences ahead of the procession to carry the body of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
People gather on the sidewalk ahead of the procession
A woman holds a Paddington Bear stuffed toy as people take place behind fences ahead of the procession to carry the body of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
People gather on the sidewalk ahead of the procession
People take place behind fences ahead of the procession to carry the body of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
Men walk along The Mall on the day the coffin of Queen Elizabeth is transported from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament for her lying in state
Members of the public wait near to Buckingham Palace ahead of the ceremonial procession
Armed police officers patrol the streets of Whitehall ahead of the procession
Britain’s national flag flies at half mast as a member of security stands guard ahead of the procession to carry the body of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
People outside the Red Lion pub in Whitehall as they take their places behind fences ahead of the procession
Armed police officers patrol the streets of Whitehall ahead of the procession carrying the Queen’s coffin
A street sweeper truck at work ahead of the procession
People gather at The Mall on the day the coffin is transported from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament
A woman knits as people gather at The Mall
People gather at The Mall on the day the coffin is transported from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
Sat underneath a gazebo, well-wishers keeping dry from the rain wrap themselves in layers of clothing and blankets
A woman wraps herself in a blanket as she sits in the queue for the Queen’s lying in state which begins at 5pm today
Two mourners sit underneath a plastic tarpaulin as they shelter from the damp weather in the queue for the lying in state
How to survive the queue to see the Queen lying in state
1. Brace for the weather
The weather at this time of year is typically unpredictable, with showers and rain often followed by bouts of sunshine and mild temperatures.
Pack a poncho, umbrella or anorak so you don’t get soaked, as well as a waterproof cover for your rucksack.
Bring a waterproof travel rug, too, so you can sit on the ground in any weather, and a foldable chair to avoid having to stand for hours on end.
2. Bring snacks
You’ll need to be fully stocked with water and food – and pack a large flask to keep the cups of tea flowing.
If it’s not your first rodeo – or you’re camping overnight – bring a portable cooker and get the baked beans going, as one royal fan was pictured doing so this morning – although be aware that barbecues are not permitted.
3. Make friends
One of the easiest ways to pass the time is to get talking to the people around you.
You’re all queueing to see the Queen so already have something in common, and the reported ‘good natured’ atmosphere will make it easy to get along – plus they can hold your place in line if you need a toilet break.
Royal fans who began waiting in line on Tuesday night chose to sing hymns.
4. Prepare your smartphone/tablet
Much like on a long flight, our smartphones and tablets can provide hours of distraction – so make sure yours are fully charged.
Bring a portable charger if you own one to avoid your device running out of juice.
Load up your Netflix or other streaming services with series, films or podcasts that you can watch or listen to while you wait.
5. Keep yourself entertained
Bring that book you’ve been trying to finish or some magazines that you can flick through.
A pack of cards and typical ‘game night’ games with fellow queuers – such as charades – can also pass the time.
6. Don’t forget your toothbrush!
With waits of 12 hours or more, and with scores of royal fans prepared to queue overnight, don’t forget to pack a toothbrush and toothpaste – for yours and your fellow queuers’ sakes.
Add face wipes, deodorant and any other daily cosmetic essentials you can’t go without to that list.
7. Pack as light as possible
Try to have just one small bag on your person. The Government has warned that those with large rucksacks or baggage will have to leave them at the bag drop facility, which has a ‘limited capacity’.
It could mean you will face further delays while waiting for a space to leave your bags.
Each person is allowed inside the hall with a small bag measuring no larger than 40x30x20cm.
8. Leave your stuffed toys at home
Do not bring cuddly toys, such as Paddington Bears, in the hopes of leaving them by the Queen’s coffin.
They are among the several items that will be confiscated upon entering Westminster Hall, including cigarettes, whistles and flags.
9. Plan ahead
Check to see what road closures are in place at the time or on the day you are planning to visit the Queen’s coffin.
There may also be delays to public transport with Transport for London (TfL) warning of busier than usual services.
Search on social media or the government website to see where the queue has stretched to and how long you can expect to wait.
10. Consider leaving children at home – and get your wristband
People have been warned off taking children to pay their respects, as the queue could become too arduous for them.
Mourners will also be given colour-coded wristbands in order to temporarily leave the queue to buy food and use the toilet.
If it gets too much, look out for stewards staffing the route who have reportedly been advised to spot people who may be struggling and to take them out of the queue for a ‘cup of tea’.
Michael Darvill, 85, had camped out since 2pm on Tuesday with daughter Mandy Desmond, 55. They camped out previously in the Mall when Charles and Diana married in 1981.
Mr Darvill from Ascot, Berkshire, said: ‘It’s not been too bad. The afternoon yesterday was quite pleasant but as the evening wore on, there was a little bit of drizzle.’
The pair had slept on camping chairs huddled under a Union flag umbrella. Mr Darvill added: ‘I remember as a young man being among the crowds in London and watching as Winston Churchill’s cortèges rolled past.
‘That for me that is the only comparable event to this. I think this is bigger and has attracted people from around the world. The Queen committed most of her life to service of this country and this is just a small way of saying ”thank you for all you’ve done”.’
Former member of the Balmoral Guard Duncan Rasor, who met the Queen while serving in Scotland, wore his military medals and Glengarry headdress as he queued for the lying in state.
The 48-year-old served in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and said: ‘I spent four months up in Balmoral valley and so I did get to meet the Queen and spend some time with her.
‘So, from a personal perspective, I wanted to come and pay my respects for everything that she’s done.’
He described spending time with the royal family as an ‘extraordinary privilege’ and added: ‘Even though they are on holiday up in Balmoral, they are still working, and it just never stops.
‘I think that is something which is starting to become more apparent to people is quite how hard Her Majesty has worked for her entire life.’
He served in the regiment between 1997 and 2002 and wore a Northern Ireland medal and a Kosovo medal.
Asked why he decided to wear his medals and Glengarry headdress, he said: ‘She was our Colonel-in-Chief so, having been part of the regiment, I could have come down without it, but I retired 20 years ago so I’m not a serving soldier, but it is a rare opportunity to put on a headdress and wear medals again and just be proud, I guess.’
William Single, 19, said he got up at 5am to travel from Coventry in order to secure a spot outside Buckingham Palace to pay tribute to the Queen.
‘I’m here because she served for 70 years and worked every day of her life, and I just want to say thank you,’ he said.
Stella Single, from Coventry, said she could ‘feel the difference’ in tone from other royal events as the thousands-strong crowd outside Buckingham Palace remained ‘sombre’.
‘It’s very quiet, whereas usually it’s quite loud,’ she said. ‘I can really feel the difference in the sound. My mum was a monarchist as well and I feel like I’ve lost a bit of her as well. I can’t stop crying.’
Kush Sonigra, who lives in the London area, is spending his 24th birthday in the queue for the Queen’s lying in state and hopes to make it back home in time for dinner with his family this evening.
After those waiting behind him in the queue sang Happy Birthday, he said: ‘Well, fortunately, from work I get the day off for my birthday, so I thought I’d get involved and see what the hype is about, get involved with the event.’
He added: ‘There’s a family dinner table so I’m hoping, depending on how late I finish here, I might be able to make it for that. Otherwise, we will postpone that to the weekend.’
He said his mother ‘is a little bit upset that I’m missing the family dinner, but I think she’ll understand’.
Chris Bond, from Truro, had attended the lying in state of the Queen Mother in 2002, and expected to have less of a wait to see Queen Elizabeth, after joining the queue at 7am on the other side of the Thames to the Palace of Westminster.
Mr Bond, wearing a black tie and jacket, said that in 2002, ‘I saw the procession pass by at Horse Guards Parade, and then by the time I made my way down, I actually started to queue right down by the Millennium Wheel and then took me six hours to progress from there.’
‘It was six o’clock when I walked into Westminster.’
He added: ‘Obviously, it’s quite difficult queuing all day long, but when you walk through those doors into Westminster Hall, that marvellous, historic building, there was a great sense of hush and one was told you take as much time as you like, and it’s just amazing.’
In preparation for the wait this time, Mr Bond had brought crisps, nuts and energy bars and bottles of water, and he said he was ‘well-equipped’ for the duration.
He said: ‘We know the Queen was a good age and she served the country a long time, but we hoped this day would never come.
‘But it has come, and I think undoubtedly she has been our most outstanding monarch.’
Joyce Dawson, 54, from Middlesbrough, has never visited London before, but said she was ‘inspired’ to travel down for the Queen’s lying in state after seeing the first people in the queue being interviewed on the TV news on Tuesday evening.
People in coats and rain ponchos form part of today’s queue for the Queen’s lying in state which begins at 5pm
Two people sit under a plastic sheet and an umbrella as they queue for the Queen’s lying in state which begins at 5pm today
People are continuing to gather in the queue for the Queen’s lying in state, which will begin after her coffin is transferred to Westminster Hall
A woman rests against the wall, with an umbrella covering her legs, as she sits in the queue for the Queen’s lying in state
Churches along the route will be asked to provide support to those waiting for the Queen’s lying in state
People wearing plastic ponchos are illuminated by street lights as they await the arrival of the Queen’s coffin
Two men in suits form part of the queue, which is forming along the bank of the River Thames in London
Small tents have been erected along the route, as people came as early as Monday to begin queuing for the lying in state
Well-wishers camped along the bank of the River Thames, covering themselves in big bags and umbrellas to avoid the rain
The Queen’s father King George VI’s funeral was held at St George’s Chapel after his death in 1952, which prompted 300,000 people to file past his coffin as it lay in state in Westminster Hall
The queue to file past the coffin stretched for miles. Above: Part of the enormous queue of people is seen on London’s Embankment
It was when she was aged just 25 that the then Princess Elizabeth received the worst possible news.
She and her husband Prince Philip were in Kenya, staying at the Sagana game-viewing Lodge, when they were told on February 6, 1952, that her father, King George VI, had died. He had been suffering from lung cancer.
The couple had been married for just five years, and their lives were now changed irrevocably.
The official announcement from Sandringham, where he died, read: ‘The King, who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning.’
The royal couple arrived home on February 7 and were photographed being greeted at what was then the London Airport by the Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
The King’s body lies in state in Westminster Hall, guarded by beefeaters and horse guards. The coffin lay there for three days
The King’s body lies in state in Westminster Hall, guarded by beefeaters and horse guards. The coffin lay there for three days
Queen Mary was first to pay formal homage, kissing her granddaughter’s hand that afternoon. The next day, February 8, Princess Elizabeth was formally proclaimed Queen.
Preparations quickly began for his funeral. The King’s coffin was taken by train from Sandringham to London on February 11, and was met by the Queen, the Queen Mother and Queen Mary, the King’s mother, who had traveled by car.
In just three days of the coffin lying in Westminster Hall, more than 300,000 mourners came to pay their respects to the monarch who had led Britain through the Second World War.
BBC presenter Richard Dimbleby said during the broadcast of the Westminster Hall proceedings, said: ‘Never safer, better guarded, lay a sleeping king than this, with a golden candlelight to warm his resting place, and the muffled footsteps of his devoted subjects to keep him company.’
On the day of the funeral, February 15, George’s coffin was draped in the royal standard, with a crown, orb and sceptre lain on top.
It then made its way in a formal televised procession to Paddington Station. It was carried on a gun carriage that was hauled by Royal Navy seamen as the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were among those who followed.
As it made it way through London, the bells of Big Ben rang out 56 times, with each chime representing a year of the late King’s life.
Once at Paddington, the coffin was taken to Windsor, where a simple service was held for the King in St George’s Chapel, where successive monarchs have been buried for centuries.
When the funeral got underway at 2pm, the nation fell silent, with even passengers on a transatlantic flight to New York rising from their seats to bow their heads.
The service, in which television cameras were banned, was presided over by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Fisher and the Archbishop of York Cyril Garbett.
Once the service was over, George was buried in the Royal Vault of St George’s Chapel. Elizabeth’s final tribute to her father was to drop a handful of earth that she had collected from Frogmore at Windsor on his coffin.
She said: ‘I texted my daughter and said ‘We have to go to London tonight’, so we’re here. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing.’
She and her daughter Shelby, 26, who has also never been to the capital before, got on the midnight coach from Middlesbrough and joined the queue at about 8am.
Joyce added: ‘It’s just nice to be a part of this. It’s exciting, I’m dead excited, I’m like a little kid.’
Jacqueline Nemorin, Suzanne Howell, and Patricia King did not know each other before they joined the queue to attend the lying in state at the same time, at 6pm on Tuesday. They are 44th, 45th and 46th in line.
Ms Nemorin said the wait overnight was ‘really terrible’ due to the weather conditions, which she described as ‘raining cats and dogs’.
She added that she managed ‘a little cat nap’ at some point in the night, but her two new friends ‘didn’t sleep at all’.
They have been told that they will be allowed to cross Lambeth Bridge to do security checks at around 3.30pm, before being let into Westminster Hall to see the Queen’s coffin.
Suzanne Howell said a man who lives in a block of flats on the other side of the river had brought over camping chairs, a blanket and food for the trio.
Ms Howell said: ‘We were told that there would be like a million or millions of people expected and that it could be a 30-hour wait.
‘So that’s why I was saying I was so surprised when we arrived last night and we’re in the 40s (in the queue). I thought this can’t be the queue, I must be in the wrong place.’
She added: ‘We haven’t slept at all, but I don’t feel tired. We’re glad we did it, we’ve got no regrets.’
Amanda Drake, 63, who divides her time between Britain and her native Australia, set up her tent at 10pm last night. She came over to the UK in February for the Platinum Jubilee and is now among those waiting by Lambeth Bridge.
Clutching her blue sleeping bag and eating toast by her one man tent, she said: ‘This is a once in a lifetime event. The Queen meant so much to me, my mother and grandmother, who have now sadly both died, were staunch Royalists.
‘I camped out when the Queen Mother was lying in state 20 years ago so I knew this is what I had to do. I feel as though I’m representing my mum and grandmother, the three generations of my family. I divide my time between Sydney and London but I’ve been here in Britain since the Jubilee in February. I didn’t want to go back to Australia because the Queen looked quite frail and I has a feeling that she didn’t have long left.
‘Camping the night has been quite comfortable, I’ve managed to get some sleep and I’ve been talking to others who also camped out about the Queen’s life and her dedication to service.’
Consultant Louis Neves, 50, is originally from California but has been in the UK for the last 15-years and now lives in North West London.
He said: ‘I love the UK, I love the Royal Family. I’ve been here since midnight. Myself and a friend just brought down some chairs and we’ve been talking to strangers about the Queen, making new friends and trying to get a bit of sleep.
‘For me this is a one in a million event, I really wanted to be here. There’s maybe 150-160 people in front of us. I’ve always thought the Queen had a kind face. She’s represented continuity having been on the throne for so long but now she’s gone and we’ve got to look to the future without her.
‘But I wanted to show my respects to what she meant for me and what she meant for the UK.’
However, Steven Welsh, 68, from Lancashire, said he will not head into London to see the Queen’s coffin procession because it will be ‘congested’.
Speaking outside Windsor Castle, he said: ‘It’ll be congested won’t it?. We will probably just hang around Windsor and watch it on the telly.’
He added: ‘I think to go there, there will be so many people there. I won’t be missing the funeral, I think a lot of people will just watch it on the telly.’
However, he said he had come to Windsor from his home in the North West to be ‘part of it’.
‘We’ve come down today to be part of it,’ he said. ‘We’ve been watching it on telly, but it feels more personal when you come down.’
It comes as the boss for Transport for London claimed the organisation is facing the ‘biggest event and challenge’ in its history.
Andy Byford said planning for the Queen’s lying in state and funeral is more complicated than the 2012 Olympics as it is ‘impossible’ to accurately predict crowd sizes.
TfL is ‘used to dealing with big crowds’ and will take measures such as temporarily restricting access to the busiest Tube stations and directing passengers to other stations to ‘spread the load’, he said. Mr Byford added that the situation is being managed ‘minute by minute’ from a command centre alongside other agencies and Government departments.
London Underground stations near Buckingham Palace have seen a surge in passenger numbers since the Queen died on Thursday.
TfL figures show more than 19,000 people started or finished journeys at Hyde Park Corner station on Tuesday, which was double the total on the same day last week. Green Park has been made an exit only station to prevent overcrowding. Across the Tube network as a whole, TfL recorded 2.99 million journeys on Tuesday, up 8% compared with a week earlier.
Mr Byford said: ‘The most recent approximation or estimate is that there will be around potentially up to 750,000 people in the queue for lying in state, which is itself a huge number. But then if you take the whole 10-day mourning period and the various events that happen during that – obviously some happened elsewhere – but even the London element of that, we are talking well north of a million people.
‘So this is huge. This is the biggest event and challenge that TfL has faced in its history, and we must rise to that challenge.
‘The Olympics was a huge logistical challenge and operational challenge for TfL, which the company executed in magnificent fashion. But this is different. With something like the Olympics, you know what the events are, where they are, and you know what the numbers will be because it’s ticketed.
‘This is more challenging. It’s over a long period and although there are estimates, it is impossible to say with certainty how many people will turn up to the various elements, so we’ve assumed the highest possible number and we’re aligning our service to match that.’
A special service will run on the Elizabeth Line railway between Paddington and Abbey Wood on Sunday to ease the pressure on other parts of London’s transport network.
That section of the line – which was opened by the Queen in May – is usually closed on Sundays due to testing and software updates.
Mr Byford added: ‘We have recruited literally an army of people from across TfL. We’ve cancelled non-essential meetings. I’ve asked everyone to step up, I’ve asked everyone to volunteer, and the response has been fantastic. We’ve dropped everything in order to pull out all the stops and send Her Majesty off in style with an excellent transport offering.
With some royal fans already camping on The Mall, industry body UKHospitality said hotels had seen a major spike in bookings since the Queen’s death last Thursday, with block bookings for accommodation for extra police and other personnel contributing to this.
Operation Feather – the exercise for managing the queues – is now underway
A group shelter underneath a gazebo along the queue route, with food and drink supplies on a trestle table against the wall
On Wednesday morning, people were pictured in the queue to see the Queen’s lying in state at Westminster Hall
People queueing to see the Queen’s coffin as it lies in state at Westminster Hall wave on Wednesday in the morning light
Keir Starmer urges anti-royal protesters to ‘respect’ those mourning the Queen and not ‘ruin’ their chances to pay respect to the late monarch at the Palace of Westminster
Keir Starmer has urged protesters to ‘respect’ those mourning the Queen, and not ‘ruin’ their opportunity to say a private ‘thank you’ to the late monarch.
The Labour leader said he will return to Westminster Hall with his family to personally pay his respects at the lying in state after he joins the committee receiving the coffin in a professional capacity.
He said the country’s response to the Queen’s death has been ‘very moving’, and encouraged those who might want to protest to be considerate of people’s grief.
On Tuesday, activists gathered outside St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh carrying ‘blank canvases’ to protest in solidarity against several arrests that have been made in relation to incidents during royal ceremonies.
Asked about the police response to those wishing to protest, Sir Keir told BBC Breakfast: ‘The word I’d use around that issue is ‘respect’.
‘I think if people have spent a long time waiting to come forward to have that moment as the coffin goes past, or whatever it may be, I think: respect that, because people have made a huge effort to come and have that private moment to say thank you to Queen Elizabeth II.
‘Obviously we have to respect the fact that some people disagree. One of the great British traditions is the ability to protest and to disagree, but I think if it can be done in the spirit of respect…
‘Respect the fact that hundreds of thousands of people do want to come forward and have that moment, don’t ruin it for them.’
Some 10,000 police officers will be on duty daily this week – with Simon Morgan, a former Metropolitan Police personal protection officer for the Queen, saying that Met protection teams will be ‘stretched’.
Churches along the route will be asked to provide support to those waiting, with the Government’s Cobra emergency planning committee told that the estimate of queueing times is currently 17 to 35 hours.
A gazebo was donated by a member of the public to give shelter to the small group queueing when it started to rain yesterday, and it was claimed council officials were on their way to remove it. However, they eventually decided that the group could keep it up.
Anne, 65, from Cardiff, who was the second person in line after arriving on Monday, said: ‘I will chain myself to the gazebo and call the leader of the Welsh Assembly if that happens. They can’t take it away.’
And a security guard told MailOnline: ‘A discreet word with the council was had and it was decided to let the gazebo stay up. It would have caused a bit of a scene and some red faces if it had come down.’
Downing Street said it is not aware of any ‘upper cap’ on the number of people able to attend the lying in state. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said there are expected to be ‘long queues… running overnight over successive days’, with London ‘extremely busy’. But he said he does not think there is necessarily going to be a ‘cut-off point’, adding: ‘Those sorts of decisions (will) really (be) made by those on the ground once we see the scale of people who are attending.’
Asked if there is a maximum capacity, the spokesman said: ‘If there is, I’m not aware of a number. I mean, I wouldn’t get into detailed operational planning… but I’m not aware of there being some sort of upper cap.’
No10 added that there will be help for mourners unable to queue for long. The spokesman said: ‘A lot of people understandably will want to see the lying in state and we will do everything possible to facilitate as many people as possible, including those who may not be physically able to wait that long, because of disabilities, for example.’
Ms Nathakumaran, who is staying at a hotel in Lambeth so she does not miss the opportunity to pay her respects, said that she began ‘admiring the royal family’ from the age of 10 and has ‘a huge respect for them’.
The administrative assistant, who grew up in Sri Lanka before moving to the UK to study in the 1980s, said she is going to call her daughters to change her bag and bring warmer clothes and glucose bars to keep her energy up.
On why she wants to see the Queen lying in state, she said: ‘Because she has done a good service. She was very devoted. She has done a service to our country, Britain and also international and the Commonwealth.
‘I do respect her way of kindness, how she treats everyone equal, the religions and the communities. She sees everyone as equal.’
Heathrow Airport CANCELS flights to ensure silence during Queen’s coffin procession today
Heathrow Airport flights have been cancelled so they do not disturb the Queen’s coffin procession.
The west London airport said in a statement that ‘out of respect’ for the mourning period it will be making ‘appropriate alterations to our operation’.
These include flights being disrupted between 1.50pm and 3.40pm on Wednesday to ‘ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall’.
British Airways has cancelled 16 short-haul flights due to the airspace restriction.
More flights are expected to be axed during the Queen’s funeral on Monday.
Heathrow said: ‘Passengers will be notified by their airlines directly of any changes to flights.
‘We anticipate further changes to the Heathrow operation on Monday September 19, when Her Majesty’s funeral is due to take place, and will communicate those in more detail over coming days.
‘We apologise for the disruption these changes cause, as we work to limit the impact on the upcoming events.’
The Civil Aviation Authority has also imposed a restriction on airspace over central London which bans aircraft – including drones – flying below 2,500ft between September 9-19.
On why she arrived so early, she said: ‘I really, really want to be part of it. I don’t want to miss it in case… they said they are probably going to control the crowds if (the queue) gets too long.’
Today, the Queen’s coffin was solemnly moved from Buckingham Palace to the ancient Palace of Westminster.
The Imperial State Crown and a wreath of flowers was placed on top of the Queen’s coffin.
At 2:22pm, a procession took the late monarch from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she will lie in state.
The King followed the coffin on foot, joined by his sons the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, as well as the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex. Anne’s son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence also walked in the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.
The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex travelled by car. There was a gun salute from Hyde Park during the procession, with one round fired every minute.
Viewing areas for the public along the route opened at 11am on the day, with large crowds expected to attend.
The procession is set to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.
A service lasting around 20 minutes will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster.
The lying in state opens to the public at 5pm and will be accessible 24 hours a day. Tens of thousands are expected to wait in the queue before walking past the coffin, which will be raised on a catafalque and draped in the Royal Standard, with the Orb and Sceptre placed on top.
It will be guarded at all hours by units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.
Metropolitan Police officers will be joined by volunteers and stewards to manage the queue, while toilets and water fountains are provided at various points along the route. A wristband system will be used to manage the queue, with those waiting in line given a coloured and numbered wristband. Lambeth Palace is also expected to arrange a multi-faith pastor service to provide support to those who need it.
Senior royals may also pay their own moving tribute, standing guard at some stage around the coffin – the tradition known as the Vigil of the Princes.
Fascinating past of Westminster Hall where the Queen will lie in state: Built in 1097 by son of William the Conqueror, it has hosted trials of Charles I and Guy Fawkes, Henry VIII’s coronation banquet and even Tudor TENNIS matches
For nearly a thousands years, Westminster Hall has stood as a beacon of the British state.
Commissioned by King William II, the son of William the Conqueror, the hall was built in 1097 and is one of the few surviving parts of the original Palace of Westminster.
Today, its importance was demonstrated once again as it hosted King Charles. He addressed MPs and Lords and told them he could ‘feel the weight of history’ on his shoulders, after they had given their own tributes to his ‘beloved mother’.
From Wednesday afternoon, the Queen’s coffin will lie-in-state in the hall for four days until Monday, with up to one million people expected to queue to pay their respects.
Westminster Hall was originally built by King William as a banqueting hall and then became England’s main administrative centre from the 12th Century onwards.
It has hosted the trials of Guy Fawkes, King Charles I and churchman Thomas More, who was executed by Henry VIII. Henry’s coronation banquet – in 1509 – was also held there.
In 2002, the Queen Mother’s coffin lay in state there and an estimated 200,000 people filed in to pay their respects. The body of King George VI also lay there for three days in 1952, with around 300,000 filing past.
In 1920, two leather tennis balls dating from Henry’s time on the throne were found by workmen in the hall’s rafters.
The discovery raised the tantalising prospect that Henry himself may have played what was then known as Real Tennis in the hall. The infamous king is known to have enjoyed the sport at Hampton Court, his palace in Richmond.
Westminster Hall also been the setting for speeches by Charles De Gaulle, Nelson Mandela, Pope Benedict VI, and the then US President Barack Obama in 2011.
For nearly a thousands years, Westminster Hall has stood as a beacon of the British state. Above: The hall is seen packed with MPs and Lords today ahead of King Charles’ speech
King Charles I’s trial in the hall came in January 1649, after Royalist forces had been defeated in the English Civil War. The king was subsequently beheaded
According to Parliament’s website, King William II – better known as William Rufus – commissioned Westminster Hall with the intention of impressing his new subjects. He had succeeded his father as King of England in 1087, after the older man’s death.
At 240 feet long and 67 feet wide, it was the largest hall in England and probably Europe when it was built.
King William II – better known as William Rufus – commissioned Westminster Hall with the intention of impressing his new subjects
The hall was so large that other halls were needed nearby for normal banquets and events. The royal household, who lived in the Palace of Westminster, would have usually eaten in a smaller hall nearby.
Its walls were six feet thick and largely remain today, although have been refaced over the decades.
In 2006, a renovation project aiming to level eight of the huge flight of stone steps in the hall found fragments of the ancient King’s Table, which was used by 17 monarchs over the course of more than 300 years.
At the table, monarchs would be acclaimed by their lords before their Coronation in nearby Westminster Abbey.
They would also enjoy lavish coronation banquets and breakfasts. Henry VIII’s coronation banquet in 1509 was one such event.
The roof was originally supported by two rows of pillars but in 1399 Richard II wanted to make the hall more impressive by making it unsupported.
It was a challenge met by carpenter Hugh Herland and architect Henry Yevele, who built huge hammer-shaped oak beams and strengthened the walls.
In the 14th century the hall became a centre of London life, housing the law courts and selling a host of legal paraphernalia including wigs, pens and books.
Before being gruesomely executed, Guy Fawkes was put on trial in the hall along with his fellow Gunpowder Plot conspirators in 1606.
The coronation banquet of King Henry VIII, June 24, 1509. The banquet was one of dozens that were held in the hall during the reigns of successive monarchs
In 1920, two leather tennis balls (pictured) dating from Henry’s time on the throne were found by workmen in the hall’s rafters. The discovery raised the tantalising prospect that Henry himself may have played what was then known as Real Tennis in the hall. The infamous king is known to have enjoyed the sport at Hampton Court, his palace in Richmond
King Charles I’s trial in the hall then came in January 1649, after Royalist forces had been defeated in the English Civil War. The king was subsequently beheaded.
During its use, Westminster Hall has twice escaped destruction.
In 1834, a fire caused by a stove overheating razed the rest of the Palace of Westminster to the ground but the hall survived.
During the Second World War it escaped harm once again when when German bombers dropped a dozen bombs on the neighbouring House of Commons chamber in 1941.
In 2002, the Queen Mother’s coffin lay in state there and an estimated 200,000 people filed in to pay their respects
The body of King George VI also lay there for three days in 1952, with around 300,000 filing past
It is reported in Brewer’s Politics that Tory MP Colonel Walter Elliot broke down the hall’s oak door after the bombing with an axe, shouting: ‘Let the pseudo-Gothic go. We must save the Hall!’
The historic roof and the hall were saved although Elliot could simply have opened the side door kept unlocked for emergencies.
Despite the hall being used as the location for several royals and former prime ministers to lie in state, the Queen’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, did not follow suit after his death in 2021.
The decision was in line with his wishes.
The hall has also been used for celebrations to mark important moments in British history, such as the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977, Golden Jubilee in 2002 and Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Source: Read Full Article
