All eight of Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren stood in silent vigil by her coffin on Saturday, capping another huge day in which thousands came to pay their respects. Mourners huddled in a queue that wrapped around London, enduring the city’s coldest night in months and waits of up to 16 hours. Authorities warned that colder weather was expected Saturday night. “The forecast for tonight is cold. Warm clothing is recommended,” the ministry tweeted. As US President Joe Biden and other world leaders and dignitaries flew to London ahead of the Queen’s funeral on Monday, a wave of farewells streamed into the Westminster chamber of parliament for another day on Saturday. There lies the Queen’s coffin, draped in her Royal Standard and topped with a diamond-studded crown. The numbers of mourners have grown steadily since the public was first admitted on Wednesday, with a queue snaking around Southwark Park stretching for at least 5 miles (8km). In honor of their patience, King Charles III and his eldest son Prince William made an unannounced visit on Saturday to greet people waiting to pass Elizabeth’s coffin, shaking hands and thanking mourners in line nearby on Lambeth Bridge. Later, all the Queen’s grandchildren stood by her coffin. Charles’ sons William and Prince Harry were joined by Princess Anne’s children Zara Tyndall and Peter Phillips. Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenia. and Prince Edward’s two children — Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. William, now the heir to the throne, stood with his head bowed at the head of the coffin and Harry at the feet. Both princes, who are army veterans, were in uniform. The mourners continued to pass in silence. Harry, who served in Afghanistan as a British Army officer, donned civilian clothes earlier in the week as the Queen’s coffin left Buckingham Palace because she is no longer a member of the royal family. He and his wife Meghan stepped down from royal duties and moved to the United States in 2020. The King, however, requested that both William and Harry wear their military uniforms at the Westminster Hall vigil. Before the vigil, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenia issued a statement praising their “beloved grandmother”. “We, like many, thought you would be here forever. And we all miss you terribly. You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our back that led us into this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish these lessons and memories forever,” the sisters wrote. People queuing to see the Queen were of all ages and from all walks of life. Many prostrated before the coffin or made the sign of the cross. Several veterans, their medals gleaming, offered sharp salutes. Some were in tears. Others blew kisses. Many hugged each other as they walked away, proud to have spent hours in line to pay their respects, even if it only lasted a few moments. Overnight, volunteers handed out blankets and cups of tea to people queuing as temperatures dropped to 6C (43F). Despite the weather, mourners described the warmth of a shared experience. “It was cold all night but we had great mates, met new friends. The camaraderie was great,” said Chris Harman from London. “It was worth it. I would do it again and again and again. I would walk to the ends of the earth for my queen.” People had many reasons for coming, from affection for the Queen to wanting to be part of a historic moment. Simon Hopkins, who traveled from his home in central England, likened it to a “pilgrimage”. “(It’s) a little weird, because that kind of goes against my grain,” he said. “I’m kind of drawn into it.” Saturday’s vigil followed one on Friday in which the Queen’s four children — Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward — held vigils at the coffin. Edward said the royal family was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotion that has overwhelmed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect (for) our beloved mum”. On Saturday, the new King held an audience with the incoming prime ministers, the kingdoms’ generals and military leaders. The Metropolitan Police arrested a man on Friday night during a surveillance on a suspected public order offence. Parliamentary authorities said someone got out of the queue and tried to approach the casket. Tracey Holland told Sky News that her 7-year-old niece Darcy Holland was pushed from the waist by a man who tried to “run up to the coffin, pick up the standard and try to do I don’t know what”. He said police arrested the man in “two seconds”. The lie-in continues until early Monday morning, when the Queen’s coffin will be taken to nearby Westminster Abbey for a state funeral, the finale of 10 days of national mourning for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Elizabeth, 96, died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8 after 70 years on the throne. After Monday’s service at the abbey, the late Queen’s coffin will be carried through the historic heart of London in a gun carriage. It will then be taken by hearse to Windsor, where the Queen will be buried alongside her late husband Prince Philip, who died last year. Hundreds of soldiers from the British army, air force and navy rehearsed early Saturday morning for the final procession. As the troops lined the scenic path leading to Windsor Castle, the beat of drums echoed through the air as bands marched in front of a hearse. London police say the funeral will be the biggest single police event the force has ever undertaken, surpassing even the 2012 Summer Olympics and June’s Platinum Jubilee which celebrates 70 years of the Queen’s reign.
Planning to join the queue for Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-State tonight? The queue is extremely busy and the estimated waiting time is up to 12.5 hours The end of the queue is in Southwark Park Tonight’s forecast is cold. Warm clothing is recommended pic.twitter.com/EC5qgrjrQQ — Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) September 17, 2022
