People across Britain stopped for a minute’s silence at 8pm in memory of the only monarch most people have ever known. At Westminster Hall, where the Queen lies in state, the steady stream of mourners stopped for 60 seconds as people observed a minute of reflection in deep silence. In Windsor, where the Queen will be laid to rest on Monday afternoon after her funeral at Westminster Abbey, rain began to fall as the crowd fell silent for a moment of reflection. Some have set up small camps and chairs outside Windsor Castle, with plans to spend the night there to reserve the best spots to see the Queen’s coffin when it arrives. “Well, it’s just a night and day of our lives. Elizabeth gave us – you know – 70 years. So the rest isn’t much to ask, is it?’ said Fred Sweeney, 52, who set up his post with two Union flags on large flagpoles. Biden and first lady Jill Biden were among thousands of mourners – from locals and tourists to royalty and world leaders – to pay their respects. The president made the sign of the cross and put his hand over his heart as he stood quietly by the casket in the ornate 900-year-old hall with his wife and US ambassador Jane Hartley. Biden then signed the official condolence book and attended a reception Sunday at Buckingham Palace hosted by King Charles III. He is one of 500 world leaders and members of the royal family invited to the Queen’s state funeral on Monday, along with hundreds of dignitaries, politicians, military veterans and British charity workers. Biden called Queen Elizabeth II “dignified” and “honorable” and “all about service” as he signed the book of condolences, saying his heart went out to the royal family. “Queen Elizabeth lived her life for the people,” Jill Biden wrote in a book about spouses and ambassadors. “He served with wisdom and grace. We will never forget her warmth, kindness and the conversations we shared.” One no-show will be Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose invitation drew criticism from rights groups over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Saudi Arabia is expected to be represented by another royal, Prince Turki bin Mohammed. As dignitaries poured out, hundreds hoping to catch a glimpse of the Queen’s coffin prepared to spend the night outside in the longest queue many have ever seen. Authorities closed the mile-long line late Sunday so everyone in line could pass the coffin before Monday morning, when it will be taken to Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s funeral. Family by family, thousands of people continued to line up around the clock, braving frigid temperatures overnight and waits of up to 17 hours in a line that stretched more than 5 miles (8 km.) Lauren Wilson, 36, was in the much shorter queue for people with mobility issues. He said he wanted to personally experience the coffin in state. “The world is in such a strange place and then this happened. It feels more important,” he said. He worried that the pomp surrounding Elizabeth’s death would deprive the queen’s relatives of the opportunity to come to terms with their loss. “The family is not allowed to grieve. I find it very heartbreaking,” he said. The Queen’s eight grandchildren, led by Crown Prince William, circled the coffin and stood with bowed heads during a silent vigil on Saturday night. Among the foreign leaders in London was New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who told the BBC she was humbled to represent her nation at the funeral and watch the national outpouring of grief and respect for the late queen. “What I’ll take away from this season is just the beauty of the audience response, the kindness you see from audience members, the patience, the camaraderie. That was, for me, the most moving tribute of all, it was the public response of the British people,” he said. Monday has been declared a public holiday in honor of Elizabeth, who died on September 8 aged 96 after 70 years on the throne. Her funeral will be broadcast live in more than 200 countries and territories around the world and will be viewed by crowds in parks and public spaces across the country. Police officers from across the country will be on duty as part of the biggest one-day police operation in London’s history. Camilla, the Queen’s consort, paid tribute to her mother-in-law in a video message, saying the monarch had “carved her own role” as a “lone woman” on a male-dominated world stage. “I will always remember her smile. That smile is unforgettable,” said Camilla, who is married to Charles. Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska was also among the mourners who paid their respects at the queen’s coffin. British royal officials said Zelenska met Catherine, Princess of Wales, at Buckingham Palace on Sunday afternoon. They did not provide further details. The British government has been among Ukraine’s strongest supporters since Russia invaded in February. Saturday night was the grandchildren’s time to mourn. 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 stood with his head bent at the head of the coffin and Harry at the feet. Both princes, who are army veterans, were in uniform. The crowd continued to pass slowly, silently. “You could see they were thinking a lot about their grandmother, the Queen,” said Ian Mockett, a civil engineer from Oxford in southern England. “It was good to see them all together as a set of grandchildren, given the things that have happened over the last few years.” The lie-in continues until early Monday morning, when the Queen’s coffin will be carried in a gun carriage pulled by 142 Royal Navy sailors to nearby Westminster Abbey for the funeral, the finale of 10 days of national mourning for Britain’s longest reigning monarch. monarch. After Monday’s service at the abbey, the late Queen’s coffin will be carried through the historic heart of London in the state 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 aged 99. Sumita Tanda brought down bright red roses as a huge floral tribute bloomed near Windsor Castle. “I feel so privileged to be a local Windsor resident,” he said. “I just wanted to pay my respects.”
Associated Press reporters Danica Kirka and David Keyton contributed.
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