End of the line for people hoping to see Queen's coffin: Queue closes ahead of state funeral

18 September 2022, 07:50 | Updated: 18 September 2022, 23:26

The queue to see the Queen lying in state has officially closed ahead of her state funeral tomorrow.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced just after 10.30pm that the queue was at "final capacity" and was closed to new entrants.

Officials were earlier discouraging people from joining the five-mile queue along the banks of the Thames to Southwark Park this morning, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport tweeting at 9.30am: "A decision will be taken today on when entry to the queue for Her Majesty The Queen's Lying-in-State will close as it reaches final capacity.

"Queue times are already 13.5 hours and may increase. To avoid disappointment please do not set off to join the queue".

In a moment of confusion, people travelling on the London Underground were also urged not to join the queue - with an announcement at South Kensington station warning travellers that the queue was "closed" . Later, Transport for London and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport insisted that the message had been read in error.

The late monarch's coffin will remain in Westminster Hall for the public to view until 6.30am on Monday, ahead of the state funeral in Westminster Abbey.

Read more: 'United in grief': William leads Queen's grandchildren in poignant vigil at her coffin

The Queen Consort earlier paid a televised tribute to the late monarch, recalling her "wonderful blue eyes" and saying: "I will always remember her smile."

Camilla, in pre-recorded words on the BBC, spoke of how Queen Elizabeth II was a "solitary woman" in a male-dominated world.

She added: "I can't remember anyone except the Queen being there."

'A pilgrimage doesn't mean anything if it's easy!'

There was also be a service of reflection near Falkirk, Scotland at 7.30pm.

It saw 96 lanterns, one for each year of the late monarch's life, lowered into the pool of reflection at the foot of the Queen Elizabeth II Canal, before wreaths were placed into the water.

Meanwhile, the King and Queen Consort hosted world leaders and official overseas guests at the palace, in what the King's spokesman described as an "official state event".

The DCMS has said the funeral will be shown on giant screens in various locations across the UK - from London's Hyde Park to Coleraine Town Hall in Northern Ireland.

Around 125 cinemas will also be screening the event - along with Sky News, ITV and the BBC for people watching from home.

On Saturday evening, the Queen's eight grandchildren together staged a heart-rending evening vigil around their beloved Granny's coffin.

The Prince of Wales, at the head of the coffin, with his brother the Duke of Sussex at the foot, both in the Blues and Royals No 1 uniform, stood with their heads bowed in her honour in sombre silence in the vast Westminster Hall.

Future king William was flanked at the corners by his cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Philips.

Harry was between Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, with 18-year-old Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn - the Queen's youngest grandchild who is just 14 - at the middle on either side of the coffin.

The grandchildren, invited by the King, had wanted to pay their respects as their parents had done the evening before.

William and the King also went on a walkabout in the afternoon to greet mourners in the queue for the lying in state, after Charles was given a tour of the Metropolitan Police Service Special Operations Room.

Hundreds of people in line at Lambeth, south London, cheered and applauded, with William and Charles shaking scores of hands and the prince discussing how long people had waited and whether they were able to keep warm.

At Westminster Abbey, final preparations are being put in place ready for the funeral on Monday.