Crowds in London watch royal procession before Queen Elizabeth’s lying in state
- Britain’s longest-reigning monarch to lie in state for four days before funeral next Monday
- Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to file past her coffin at Westminster Hall
Gun salutes echoed out at Hyde Park and the bell at Elizabeth Tower, known as Big Ben, rang every minute as the queen’s coffin proceeded with a military honour guard and police escort down The Mall, across the Horse Guards Parade and down Whitehall before ending at Parliament Square and the Houses of Parliament.
Thousands of people, some who had camped out overnight in the pouring rain for the best positions, lined the route, which was draped in Britain’s tricolour Union flag and soaked in bright sunlight as the procession was to slowly move past.
Many mourners stood silently as the procession filed by, while others took photos and videos with their mobile phones. It was a stark contrast to Tuesday evening when members of the crowd clapped and cheered as the queen’s coffin returned to Buckingham Palace.
Members of the royal family, except for Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, wore their military uniforms in the procession as the princes have stepped back from royal duties.
During the procession, a band of Grenadier and Scots Guards played funeral marches by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Chopin. A brief round of applause broke out as the queen’s coffin crossed the Horse Guards Parade.
Heathrow Airport officials said some flights were disrupted to “ensure silence during the ceremonial procession”.
The coffin was draped with the Royal Standard flag, with the Imperial State Crown on a velvet cushion and a wreath of flowers, including white roses, white dahlias, pine from Balmoral and lavender from the gardens of Windsor.
The ceremonial procession left Buckingham Palace at precisely 2.22pm BST (9.22pm Hong Kong time), in order to make the journey of just over a mile by 3pm BST.
It was a much smaller and more solemn proceeding along The Mall than the Trooping of the Colour, the queen’s birthday celebration every June.
Until her health prevented her from doing so, Queen Elizabeth would ride side-saddle on horseback from the Palace to the Horse Guards Parade every year before observing military drills honouring the anniversary of her coronation in June 1953.
A choir sung Psalm 139 as the queen’s coffin was carried into Westminster Hall following the procession.
The procession was expected to be followed by a short service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, before the public were allowed into Westminster Hall to view the coffin.
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Mourners may face 8km queue, 20-hour wait to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth in London
US President Joe Biden and other world leaders are expected to attend the state funeral at nearby Westminster Abbey on September 19, the first in Britain since former prime minister Winston Churchill’s death in 1965.
During a speech on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the queen was a “legend”.
“She was a constant throughout the turbulent and transforming events in the last 70 years. Stoic and steadfast in her service,” von der Leyen said. “But more than anything, she always found the right words for every moment in time.”
Before returning to London by military aircraft on Tuesday night, some 33,000 people viewed the queen’s coffin over a 24-hour period whilst she lay in rest in Edinburgh this week.
“I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother’s life,” said Princess Anne, who flew back with her mother’s coffin on Tuesday. “It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.”
The queue for mourners hoping to view the queen’s coffin stretched almost 4km past Blackfriars Bridge about an hour before the public was set to be allowed inside Westminster Hall, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Officials have estimated 400,000 people will file past her coffin in Westminster Hall over the next four days, even though some British papers have said the crowd could top 750,000.
About 200,000 people viewed the Queen Mother’s coffin when she lay in state at Westminster Hall, following her death in 2002.
Officials were preparing for the queue to snake as far as 16km (10 miles) along the south bank of the Thames, past the London Eye and the Tate Modern museum, into Southwark Park.
Authorities warned that mourners may have to wait as long as 30 hours to view the queen’s coffin and there will be limited time to sit as the queue moves continuously as mourners stroll past 24 hours a day.
Those in the queue will be given wristbands to allow them to briefly exit to go to one of the 500 portable toilets or purchase food. The wristbands are colour-coded so they can rejoin their spot in the queue.
“We know that this news will affect people in different ways, it might be that they are reminded of their own experience of loss or the news has triggered other feelings that people would like to talk about,” said Keith Leslie, chair of Samaritans, which will have volunteers available along the route to support mourners overcome with emotion.
St John Ambulance will set up eight first aid stations along the route and the Red Cross and the Scouts will have volunteers available to help mourners in the queue.
Visitors will pass through airport-style security before entering Westminster Hall and be able to walk silently past the coffin, which will be on a raised platform and guarded by members of the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.
Mourners will not be able to use their phones or other handheld devices while inside Westminster Hall.
