Crowds gather in central London ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s coffin procession
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin will remain in place for four days from Wednesday afternoon, amid warnings that members of the public wishing to attend to pay their respects may have to queue up to 30 hours to do so.
A lorry will carry the coffin on a short journey from Buckingham Palace down to Pall Mall, Horse Guards Parade and Whitehall, with King Charles III on foot following. He will be joined by his sons, Princes William and Harry, as well as other members of the royal family.
This will be the second time in less than a week William and Harry have been seen side-by-side following the death of their grandmother, following a rift between the brothers.
The coffin will be placed on a raised platform in Westminster Hall, the oldest part of Parliament. The lying state will be open to the public 24 hours a day until 6:30 a.m. Monday, the day of her funeral.
Police officers in central London, ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s coffin procession
With hundreds of thousands of mourners expected to attempt to attend, the government has set up a line of more than four miles from Southwark Park, along the Thames on Southbank, over Lambeth Bridge and into the Palace Westminster.
Logistics challenge
Prime Minister’s spokesman Max Blain said when asked about the logistical challenges and whether people could in fact wait in line for that long. “Our focus is on making sure they have the information they need to make decisions about what’s right for them.”
The Queen’s Casket has arrived at Buckingham Palace, where it will spend the night in the Palace Room.
Tomorrow, the coffin will be laid in procession in a Royal Army Artillery Transport Vehicle to the Palace of Westminster. pic.twitter.com/91rnoOwJUB
– Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 13, 2022
The Queen’s coffin was flown late on Tuesday from Edinburgh, Scotland to RAF Northolt in west London, accompanied by Princess Anne, Princess Royal, in accordance with the late monarch’s wishes that the Queen’s only daughter she will play a major role in escorting her to the funeral.
A small group of British Prime Minister Liz Truss and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace were present in Northolt.
