Do not set off to join queue to see Queen lying in state, mourners warned
Thousands of mourners join queue on Sunday on last full day of Queen’s lying in state
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Mourners have been urged not to set off to join the queue to see the Queen lying in state ahead of the monarch’s funeral.
The queue to see the Queen’s coffin is in its final full day as Westminster Hall will close to mourners at 6.30am on Monday.
It currently stretches more than five miles from Westminster to Southwark Park and a steady stream of mourners continues to join on Sunday morning under sunny but cold skies.
Queue times at 10am were 14 hours long and set to increase, although were significantly lower than when mourners were faced with a 24-hour wait on Friday to see the lying-in-state.
The department has said it will announce later on Sunday when entry to the queue will be closed. “To avoid disappointment, please do not set off to join the queue” said a spokesperson for the DCMS. The accessible queue has already been permanently closed.
Hundreds of thousands of people, including celebrities such as David Beckham, have made the slow, steady pilgrimage across central London to pay their respects to the late monarch over the past four days.
Members of the Royal Household have visited some of those waiting in the queue.
On Saturday, King Charles III and his heir Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, greeted mourners in Lambeth.
When told by one person that they had been waiting 13 hours, Prince William allegedly said: “Thirteen hours? You’re looking very good on thirteen hours.”
Guinness World Records has said the queue to see the Queen’s lying-in-state could be the longest ever.
At 6.30am on Monday morning, the lying in state will finish, and the Queen’s coffin will be taken on Procession to Westminster Abbey, where the state funeral will begin at 11:00. Around 2,000 guests are expected to attend.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments