Members of the public file past the late Queen’s coffin to pay their respects after hours of queuing overnight as her state of affairs began at Westminster Hall. The queue currently stretches 3.5 miles to Tower Bridge, with some mourners saying they waited nine hours to reach her coffin. King Charles III is taking a day of rest and reflection today and is not attending any events. The new Prince and Princess of Wales will visit the Sandrigham estate in Norfolk to view the flowers and tributes left by well-wishers. The Earl and Countess of Wessex will travel to Manchester, where they will light a candle in the Queen’s memory at the cathedral. Meanwhile, the Princess Royal, accompanied by her husband Sir Tim Laurence, will visit Glasgow City Chambers to meet representatives of organizations of which the Queen has been a patron. On Wednesday, King Charles III and the rest of the former monarch’s family marched in tribute behind her coffin as it was carried from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.
Basic points
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Watch: Changing of the Guard at the Palace of Westminster
The Queen’s coffin guard rotates every twenty minutes. The line of mourners is interrupted while the change is made. Holly Bancroft September 15, 2022 11:47 am 1663237271
What’s happening later today?
The Prince and Princess of Wales will view the flowers and tributes left at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. King Charles is having a private day of reflection and is not expected to attend any events. The Earl and Countess of Wessex will travel to Manchester, where they will light a candle in the Queen’s memory at the cathedral. They will also view the flowers left in St Ann’s Square and view the book of condolence at Manchester Central Library. The Princess Royal, accompanied by her husband, Sir Tim Laurence, will visit Glasgow City Chambers to meet representatives of organizations of which the Queen has been a patron. Holly Bancroft September 15, 2022 11:21 am 1663236313
The queue is 3.5 miles long, starting near the Tower Bridge
The queue to see the Queen in state has now reached 3.5 miles. The start of the queue is now near Tower Bridge. (AFP via Getty Images) (PA) Holly Bancroft September 15, 2022 11:05 am 1663236071
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral: What will happen on the day?
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral: What will happen on the day? Holly Bancroft September 15, 2022 11:01 am 1663234631
Watch: Former PM Theresa May queues to pay her respects at Queen’s coffin
Theresa May queues to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin Holly Bancroft September 15, 2022 10:37 am 1663233731
MPs can jump the queue to see the Queen’s coffin
People queuing to see the Queen’s coffin have condemned the special privileges MPs get to skip the queue. MPs can skip the queue and bring up to four guests, the Daily Mail reported. Julie Newman, 56, said the special treatment was an “abuse of privilege”. “I don’t mind queuing, because everyone queues. But there is no excuse for jumping the queue. It is not fair.” “For something like that, it’s not fair,” Dexter Bowls said. (EPA) Holly Bancroft September 15, 2022 10:22 am 1663231277
The queue currently ends near Southwark Cathedral
The end of the queue to see the Queen’s coffin is at Southwark Cathedral, near London Bridge. The line has grown slightly to nearly three miles by 9 a.m. Thursday. In an update on social media, the Ministry of Culture, Media and Sport said the queue was 2.8 miles long. The weather forecast is cloudy and people heading to the queue can use What3words: frozen.angel.guitar to spot the end. Holly Bancroft 15 September 2022 09:41 1663231031
‘I got a lump in my throat’: What is it like to see the Queen’s coffin?
Among the first inside was Kenneth Taylor, 72, from Reading, central England, who had come with a neighbor and spent the night in a tent in the queue. Tearing up, Taylor said that when he saw the Queen lying in state, he felt sad. “A lump came in my throat.” “You know, we lost someone special. Her service to this country was truly steadfast and unwavering. And she is probably what I would call the queen of queens.” Thomas Hughes, 20, who waited almost 14 hours through the night with his brother, said finally seeing the coffin was overwhelming. “You do everything because you want to respect that lady … and I think when you do that and then you get to the moment you’re waiting for you’re a little bit more emotional,” he said. he said. “It’s a very powerful thing.” Holly Bancroft15 September 2022 09:37 1663229711
The funeral rehearsal took place at midnight
Rehearsals were held overnight for the Queen’s funeral. Members of the military were filmed in Westminster at 2.45am on Thursday morning carrying a coffin. (Getty Images) (PA) (Getty Images) Holly Bancroft15 September 2022 09:15 1663228271
Meet the people queuing to see the Queen’s coffin
Mavis Sibanda told my colleague Maryam Zakir-Hussain that she wanted to have a “last memory of the Queen” on such a historic day. “I’m from Zambia, and that’s how it’s always been in my mind. I wanted to be part of what was happening.” Hilary Noble (left) and Mavis Sibanda (right) came down to see history in the making (The Independent) Patricia Wass from Devon said she was willing to wait all night to see the Queen’s coffin. The 64-year-old said: “My mother is a fervent monarchist and has been very saddened by the Queen’s death and I wanted to do it for her too.” She had been feeling very emotional since the Queen’s death and was therefore prepared to queue for ‘as long as it took. If it’s all night, it’s all night.” Meanwhile, Tzu-Ching Hung, 22, arrived in London from Taiwan yesterday and wanted to take the opportunity to see history while in the UK. “It’s just amazing to see so many people coming to pay their respects to the Queen.” Although the crowd was mostly friendly and welcoming, there were some classic political queues that soon turned ugly. Devon’s Patricia Wass is prepared to queue for as long as it takes, while Taiwan’s Tzu-Ching Hung (The Independent) Holly Bancroft15 September 2022 08:51
