Queen's funeral: UK mourns as thousands wait in line to pay homage

Hundreds of thousands of mourners from across the country await their turn to pay respect to their beloved Queen and Britain's longest-reigning monarch. The queue stretched with each passing day, and by mid-morning, the line stretched to about 4 km along the south bank of the River Thames, crossing the Lambeth Bridge as the coffin approached Westminster Hall. However, the first members of the long queue have now paid respect to Her Majesty, with thousands still in the queue.

What was the public's reaction inside and outside Westminster Hall?
The atmosphere around us has been quite emotional and sombre. One of the visitors said it was quite a calm and unbelievably emotional environment, with many people filled with tears in a quiet setting. She further said that the Queen was everything to her and she wanted to see her irrespective of the long queue.


Another visitor from Ireland shared that nobody wants to wait that long, but the kind of connection he has with the Queen matters the most, and she would wait for the whole night if needed. Some mourners prayed towards the coffin, while some others removed their hats. The coffin will be on display for the next four days, all day and night. In Edinburg, Scotland, over 33,000 people have already paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II.




What is the security around the area?
The funeral program, also known as "Operation London Bridge," has been in planning for decades. The area around Westminster Palace comprises airport-level screening, accompanied by colour-coded wristbands, and three miles of fencing to manage the mourners. A live online map will provide the public with the route and an estimated waiting time.

Police and military forces have been patrolling the rooftops and covering every maintenance hole in the area. There are about 1,500 military personnel deployed in the area, including Royal Navy Police, Gurkhas and Paratroopers, RAF personnel, and Royal Military Police. A Wildcat military helicopter has been hovering around the area for quite some time.

FAQs

1.Where did Queen Elizabeth breathe her last?
Ans. On Thursday, Queen Elizabeth II breathed her last at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

2. How many VIP guests will attend the Queen's funeral?
Ans. There will be hundreds of VIP guests attending the funeral of the Queen. Some names include US President Joe Biden, Japan's Emperor Naruhito, French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier; and Indian President Draupadi Murmu.