Queues to see the Queen could stretch for ten miles as mourners gather by the Thames
14 September 2022, 13:46 | Updated: 14 September 2022, 14:05
As Brits hope to pay tribute to the Queen, the queue could stretch for 10 miles, with hundreds of thousands already in line.
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The royal fanatics are queuing from the Albert Embankment, behind the London Eye, past Waterloo station, and along the Thames towards the Southbank Centre.
It is estimated that 1 million people will queue for up to 40 hours to walk past the Queen’s coffin as she is lying in state. The current queue is estimated to range from 400,000 to more than 750,000.
The queue of mourners currently stretches between Lambeth Bridge and Westminster Bridge. It is likely that the queue will reach 10 miles along the Thames.
Westminster Hall will open to people at 5pm this evening for mourners can catch a glimpse of the Queen lying in state, until Monday morning on the day of the funeral.
Read More: Ceremonial procession and lying-in-state: What's happening today and how to watch
With rain falling overnight, many donned plastic ponchos whilst others battled the weather with no waterproof clothing.
Anne Daley, who has been in the queue since Monday, said: “I’m giving up two nights of comfort for someone who gave 70 years of tireless duty to the world — it’s nothing to give really.”
Grace Gothard has also been in the queue since Monday afternoon. She told the DailyMail: 'I first knew of the Queen when I was a young child in Ghana. I know that when I see her coffin, it's going to bring on a wave of emotion. My own mother died ten years ago and you never forget. So I will also be grieving for her as well as the Queen.”
An army veteran who served Her Majesty for 22 years in the Army, spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “I figure the least I could do after 70 years is give her another day of my life, so I’ve come down here to pay my respects. Knowing I'd be seeing Her Majesty again, I put my medals on.
“I'd crumble my clothes if I was to [go to sleep],” he said. “It's an old trick, literally just rocking back and forth on your heels, sips of water... and then crack on.”
The first to arrive in the queue is Vanessa Nathakumaran from Southwark who has been in line since 11.30 on Monday morning.
“I don't how I'll feel when I see the coffin,” she told the DailyMail. “I think it'll be quite overwhelming. The Queen has been the nation's rock - and that of the Commonwealth - for the last 70 years and now we have a King. It's a very historic moment in time.
“I have a Royal link, my great uncle, Sir Waithilingam Duraiswamy, was knighted by King George VI and attended his coronation. I want to pass on my respects to Elizabeth II and in my own personal, private way tell her what she's meant to me and my family over the years.”
Additional train services will run for people travelling into London to pay their respects. Whilst the service will be limited, extra trains will be added to the schedule to assist the travel of mourners. Avanti West Coast have already announced four further trains from Manchester to London Euston between 12.40pm and 8.40pm until Thursday, and an extra three trains each way on the Friday.
Volunteers for St John Ambulance have been offering first aid to mourners flocking to pay respects to the Queen. The charity is providing support at ceremonial events, including the Queen's state funeral, and informal gatherings. Volunteers have been offering 24-hour medical support in London and Windsor since Friday. They will also be on hand to support people waiting to see the coffin lying in state in the Palace of Westminster, with 600 volunteers expected on the busiest day.
Helen Redding, 60, from Sidcup told the Metro: “When the Queen died I was shocked how much it meant to me.”
“I felt like I had to be here, to be part of history and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity to pay my respects.”
Mrs Harkness-Hudson also spoke to the Metro and said she would regret it if she did not go. “You only get one chance to do this, so we didn’t want to miss it."
