Queue for the Queen: Wait to view coffin hits 24 hours – Times of India
The entry to an already kilometres-long queue to see Queen Elizabeth lying in state resumed after a pause on Friday, with the government saying the current wait-time is over 24 hours, in temperatures set to plummet to 7 degrees Celsius.
“Expected queuing time is over 24 hours and overnight temperatures will be cold,” Britain‘s culture department warned on Twitter in the evening, having paused the entry to the queue around 9am when it reacheda designated end-point in Southwark Park.
But people still waited. Neither the hours-long wait nor the weather deterred mourners, who were pouring in from both within the country and across the world to pay their respects to Britain’s longest reining monarch.
The constantly moving queue is snaking its way from Southwark Park to parliament’s Westminster Hall, where the queen’s coffin is lying in state. Some 750,000 people in total are expected to file past before Monday’s funeral. Temporary toilets have been installed along the route.
Footballer David Beckham was spotted in the line of mourners at lunchtime Friday. He’s believed to have joined the queue at 2am and lined up for more than 10 hours. “We have been lucky as a nation to have had someone who has led us the way her majesty has led us. . . with kindness, with caring and always reassurance,” Beckham said.
Helena Larsen, 76, arrived just too late at the park. “We have literally got here and they have shut it in front of us,” she said, adding that she would likely hang around until the gates were reopened.
“Expected queuing time is over 24 hours and overnight temperatures will be cold,” Britain‘s culture department warned on Twitter in the evening, having paused the entry to the queue around 9am when it reacheda designated end-point in Southwark Park.
But people still waited. Neither the hours-long wait nor the weather deterred mourners, who were pouring in from both within the country and across the world to pay their respects to Britain’s longest reining monarch.
The constantly moving queue is snaking its way from Southwark Park to parliament’s Westminster Hall, where the queen’s coffin is lying in state. Some 750,000 people in total are expected to file past before Monday’s funeral. Temporary toilets have been installed along the route.
Footballer David Beckham was spotted in the line of mourners at lunchtime Friday. He’s believed to have joined the queue at 2am and lined up for more than 10 hours. “We have been lucky as a nation to have had someone who has led us the way her majesty has led us. . . with kindness, with caring and always reassurance,” Beckham said.
Helena Larsen, 76, arrived just too late at the park. “We have literally got here and they have shut it in front of us,” she said, adding that she would likely hang around until the gates were reopened.
