Queen: Mourner recalls seeing monarch lying-in-state

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Thousands of mourners from all walks of life and all over the country are queuing for miles to file past the coffin of the Queen to pay their final respects to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. People have been waiting in line for hours overnight for the chance to view the Queen lying in state after it was handed to the care of the nation on Wednesday afternoon.

By mid-morning, the queue stretched about three miles along the south bank of the River Thames, crossing Lambeth Bridge as it neared Westminster Hall.

The coffin, which sits on a catafalque and is draped with a Royal Standard, continues to be guarded at all hours by units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.

As King Charles III returned to his Highgrove home in the southern English county of Gloucestershire after days of scheduled events, officials expected about 750,000 people to view his mother’s coffin before the lying in state ends at 6.30am on Monday ahead of Her Majesty’s state funeral.

Some had travelled from abroad, dropping off bags at nearby hotels to join those moving slowly through Westminster Hall.

The largely black-clad crowd have been solemn and pensive as they flow into the ancient hall where chandeliers and spotlights illuminated the scene beneath the medieval timber roof.

As hundreds of ordinary people of all ages filed past the coffin of the long-reigning monarch, many wiped their eyes with tissues.

Some bowed, some curtsied and some simply took a moment to look at the extraordinary scene.

Three well-wishers who befriended each other in the queue said there had been a friendly “camaraderie” among the crowds, despite miserable weather, before an atmosphere of sombre reflection inside the hall.

Amy Harris, 34, and Matthew Edwards, 35, met James Cross, 65, after getting the train to London from Birmingham to join the queue at about 1am.

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Mr Cross said: “Everyone in the queue was very friendly, chatting and having a laugh. It was really quite lovely.

“It’s just like the only person that’s there is you,” Mr Cross said. “You walk in and you could hear a pin drop.”

Mr Edwards said: “Everyone was offering biscuits, drinks,” adding that the three were now planning to have a pint together after the long wait.

Ms Harris described the atmosphere in Westminster Hall as “breath-taking”.

She said: “When you’re able to go in and have a moment to look at it and reflect, the serenity of it – to be able to pay your respects in such a serene place, it’s very peaceful.”

Father Peter Walters, a priest who works in Colombia, and Pauline Allan, a charity worker, joined the queue at 1.20am.

It was “immensely” worth the wait, Father Walters said, with the final experience “very personal” and different from viewing the coffin on the TV.

He added: “The atmosphere in there was one of absolute silence, great reverence, great respect and great reflection. It was really a very memorable experience.

“Everyone had the chance to pause – despite the queues, there was no great sense of rush.”

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