Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was from yesterday afternoon to lie in state for four days, amid warnings that members of the public wishing to attend to pay their respects could face a wait of up to 30 hours to do so.
A cortege was to carry the coffin on a short journey from Buckingham Palace down The Mall, Horse Guards Parade and Whitehall, with King Charles III following on foot. He would be joined by his sons, Princes William and Harry, as well as other members of the royal family.
It would be the second time in less than a week that William and Harry have been seen side by side after the death of their grandmother, following a rift between the two brothers.
Photo: Reuters
The coffin would be placed on a raised platform in Westminster Hall, the oldest part of parliament. The lying in state would be open to the public 24 hours per day until 6:30am on Monday next week, the day of her funeral.
With hundreds of thousands of mourners expected to try to attend, the government has set up a route of more than 6km from Southwark Park, along the River Thames on the South Bank, across Lambeth Bridge and into the Palace of Westminster.
“We do expect it to be extremely busy,” British prime minister’s office spokesman Max Blain said when asked about the logistical challenges and whether people could realistically line up for so long. “Our focus is on ensuring they have the information needed to make the decision about what’s right for them.”
The queen’s coffin was flown late on Tuesday from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt in west London, accompanied by Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, following the late monarch’s wishes that her only daughter should take the primary role in escorting her to her funeral.
A small group including British Prime Minister Liz Truss and British Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace were present at Northolt.
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