Linda Partridge, 71, and Simon Hopkins, 59, traveled from the West Midlands to be in the state despite warnings the queue was closed because they felt they “had to get off”. Ms Partridge, who had left home at 3am, told PA on Saturday morning: “Even though they said it was closed I felt the need to come down. “If we got here and then they moved away, then fine. I would just feel like I had to come and then they would tell me I couldn’t go.” Mr Hopkins added: “There was a sense of maybe ‘better not to travel’ but to just make the journey and just check it out, and you know, if it ended in disappointment, then so be it. He likened the experience to a “pilgrimage,” which he said “is a little weird because this kind of goes against my grain.” “I’ve kind of gotten carried away with it,” he added. 1663399429
The employees open the queue again
The queue for the Queen to stay in state has reopened – but officials have warned the waiting time is 24 hours. The massive line is now accessible via Southwark Park. 1663398419
Brain tumor patient ‘burst into tears’ as he opens one of Queen’s last letters
A brain tumor patient has said she is “still in shock” after receiving one of the last letters from the Queen before her death. Kerri Parker, 38, raised more than £16,000 for UK-based medical charity Brain Tumor Research and wrote to the Queen to thank her after attending a Platinum Jubilee Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in July. Parker, who was also crowned Ms Universe World International in Miami last month, said it “broke my heart a bit” to receive a reply from the monarch dated September 5, just three days before the Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. “I just can’t believe it – my name and what I did for Brain Tumor Research was one of the last things he’d seen, in terms of correspondence,” said Ms Parker, from Norwich, PA. News agency. “For someone of that stature, to not (just) see my name, but to see what I’ve achieved for Brain Tumor Research, it’s just absolutely remarkable. “It’s such a lovely tribute and it must have been one of her last letters… It’s a little bit of history, which I’ll really appreciate that broke my heart a little bit. “I’m still in shock, it’s crazy.” 1663397791
A man has been arrested after he approached the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall
A man is in custody after reports someone climbed the steps to the hearse and touched the coffin. The Metropolitan Police are said to have rushed to arrest the man just before 10pm last night, hours after a vigil by senior royals. A statement from Scotland Yard said: ‘At around 10pm on Friday 16 September officers from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection arrested a man in Westminster Hall following a disturbance. “He was arrested for an offense under the Public Order Act and is currently in custody.” A spokesman for the British Parliament added: “We are aware of an incident at Westminster Hall in which a member of the public was moved from the queue and onto the Catafalque. “They have now been removed from the Hall and the queue has resumed with minimal disruption.” 1663397171
Queen discusses her love of horses ‘to the end’
The Queen was in “tremendous form” before she died and discussed “her love of her horses right up to the end”, according to her trusted blood and racing adviser. John Warren features in one of last week’s most replayed TV clips, when the Queen clapped her hands and beamed as her horse, Appreciation, won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013 – the first time in its 207-year history match. a reigning monarch had won. Warren said he spent the weekend before the Queen died in Scotland, discussing her horses, as they had done many times before. “We’d sit there for hours on the weekend strategizing and making plans for what’s next,” he said. “And I think the coolest thing for me is knowing that she was surrounded by family members. “He was in such a healthy state of mind and in terrific shape. “It’s very important to know that she was absolutely, wonderfully turned on.” Mr Warren said the Queen had seen a lot of the King and Queen Consort, who were also in Scotland, and enjoyed different groups of the family staying at Balmoral. “She loved having them with her and being able to talk about her horses and her love for her horses until the very end,” he said. “I left her on Monday afternoon, on Tuesday the prime ministers came, on Tuesday she had a winner. “On Tuesday afternoon he was in very good form, he was delighted to have a winner and he talked about the Prime Ministers coming in and out, and I can hardly believe that the Queen has died in less than 48 hours.” 1663396911
The Queen’s grandchildren to keep vigil at her coffin
The Queen’s eight grandchildren, including Princes William and Harry, will hold another vigil in Westminster Hall tonight. The Prince of Wales will stand at the head, the Duke of Sussex at the foot. At the King’s request, they will both be in uniform. The other grandchildren will be in morning suits and dark formal dresses with embellishments. William will be flanked by his cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Philips, the children of the Princess Royal. while Harry will be with the Duke of York’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenia. It followed reports that the Duke of Sussex was given permission to wear his military uniform at the vigil after Palace officials intervened on his behalf. 1663396684
Truss will meet world leaders ahead of the Queen’s funeral
Liz Truss is set to meet world leaders as they travel to the UK for the Queen’s funeral. The prime minister will speak to his New Zealand and Australian counterparts on Saturday, with talks framed by No 10 as talks rather than formal bilateral meetings. Downing Street suggested it would be an opportunity to offer condolences on the Queen’s death, with politics likely to emerge. The first meeting is at the government’s Chevening country house, not at Cheques, which is said to be undergoing routine maintenance following Boris Johnson’s departure. Ms Truss will meet New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian leader Anthony Albanese on Saturday. Ms Ardern said the Queen’s death and the new king would be the “focus of the discussion”, with the pair also discussing Ukraine and the UK’s free trade deal with New Zealand. But it will all be “within the context of the week of mourning that the UK is currently in”. 1663395100
Crowds urged not to join the queue to lie in state
Officials are urging people not to travel to join the queue which is near capacity – with a waiting time of at least 24 hours. The Government tracker urges people to check their tracker for updates. However, people were still lining up early on Saturday.
