Summary

  • The Prince and Princess of Wales have today greeted crowds in Sandringham and looked at the floral tributes left there

  • Prince William told well-wishers that walking behind the Queen's coffin brought back memories of his mother's funeral

  • New details of the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19 September have been set out

  • There will be a national two-minute silence at the end of the service, and a procession through London will follow

  • Along the Thames, people are waiting to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II - the queue is nearly 5 miles (7.9km) long

  • King Charles III spent the day at his country home, Highgrove

  1. King and siblings to stand vigil around Queen's coffin - againpublished at 16:26 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    On Monday, King Charles and his siblings - the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex - stood guard around their late mother's coffin in Edinburgh for 10 minutes.

    Images showed the Queen's four children looking ahead or looking down, sometimes with their eyes closed.

    King Charles III and his siblings stand around the Queen's coffin at St Giles' Cathedral, EdinburghImage source, Reuters

    They'll do the same tomorrow at Westminster Hall at 19:30 BST, carrying on a tradition called the Vigil of the Princes.

    It started in 1936 after the death of King George V, when his four sons King Edward VIII, Prince Albert (the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II's father), Prince Henry and Prince George stood vigil around their father’s coffin in Westminster Hall.

    When Charles, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward performed the same mark of respect on Monday, it was only the third time the Vigil of the Princes had been carried out - the second being at the Queen Mother's funeral in 2002. Anne also became the first woman in history to take part - note its name containing the word "princes".

    In Edinburgh, members of the public were allowed to continue filing past the Queen's coffin while the royal siblings stood vigil. Buckingham Palace hasn't confirmed if the same will happen at Westminster, but it's expected it will.

    They're due to stand for slightly longer this time - 15 minutes instead of 10 - so anyone queuing at the right time may get to see the historic moment.

  2. Queue tracker introduces estimated waiting timepublished at 16:16 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Government queue trackerImage source, DCMS

    The government's queue tracker to see the Queen lying in state has now introduced an "estimated queuing time" feature on its live YouTube feed.

    Currently, the line is at least nine hours long and stretches along the south bank of the River Thames from Lambeth Bridge back to Bermondsey Beach.

    It is thought to be approximately 4.2 miles (6.8km) in length.

  3. From the chatter of the queue, to the silence of the hallpublished at 16:10 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Ben Wright
    Reporting from Westminster Hall

    The contrast could not be more marked. After the bonhomie and chatter of the queues, the atmosphere suddenly changes when people arrive here in Westminster Hall.

    The vast medieval space is silent, and from the top of the stone steps, people see Queen Elizabeth’s coffin for the first time.

    Raised high on a plinth, draped with a Royal Standard, framed by four candles. At each corner, a guard – still and silent.

    And filing slowly past on either side - the public.

    Families with children. Those who have come on their own. The very old and the very young. All sharing a collective moment of private reflection.

    Nothing is rushed. Many bow when they reach the late Queen’s coffin, others curtsy.

    I saw one woman blow a gentle kiss.

    But everyone takes a couple of seconds to pay his or her own personal tribute, before walking back out into the daylight. Many dab tears from their cheeks.

  4. Becoming 'queue buddies'published at 16:02 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Chi Chi Izundu
    reporting from the South Bank

    Hazel Biggs and Michael Burke
    Image caption,

    Hazel Biggs and Michael Burke met each other in the queue to see the Queen lying in state

    Hazel Biggs from Bedfordshire met Michael Burke from Dublin in the queue.

    Michael is slightly concerned that since the queue started in nearby Bermondsey, he might not make his flight home. He’s got 16 hours.

    Michael and Hazel looking at a map

    Michael has a bag filled with all the necessary information needed for queuing, including a print out of the official route and lots of information on the Queen.

    Hazel's picture of her meeting the Queen as seen on her phone

    Hazel said she met the Queen in around 2008.

    She’s a Churchill Fellow and studies crime scene investigation, returning to the UK after travelling around the world learning how other countries do forensic science.

    She’s just handed over her contact details to Michael for his friend who’s in the same field.

  5. Flights to be disrupted at Heathrow Airport on Mondaypublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Heathrow Airport says it'll stop all flights for 15 minutes before the two-minute national silence which is being planned for noon on Monday, until 15 minutes after it has finished.

    Flights will also be grounded during the afternoon, between 13:45 - 14:20 BST, when there'll be no arrivals to ensure quiet conditions for the procession of the Queen's hearse.

    The London airport adds that there'll be no departures during the ceremonial procession via the Long Walk to Windsor Castle between 15:03 - 16:45 BST.

    Aircraft will also operate at a reduced departure rate between 16:45 - 21:00 BST to minimise noise during the private family service in Windsor.

    In all, around 15% of Heathrow's schedule for Monday will be disrupted.

    A spokesman says: "As a mark of respect, operations to and from the airport will be subject to appropriate changes in order to avoid noise disruption at certain locations at specific times on Monday."

  6. Procession brought back memories of Diana's funeral, William tells mournerspublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Prince William greets crowds outside SandringhamImage source, Reuters

    The Prince of Wales has spoken of how yesterday's procession following the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall brought back memories of his mother Princess Diana's funeral in 1997.

    Prince William, who was just 15 at the time, walked behind the coffin of his mother as it was carried to her funeral service at Westminster Abbey.

    This afternoon, Prince William spoke to crowds outside Sandringham where people had come to lay flowers at the gate.

    One of those in the crowd, Jane Wells, 54, from Lincolnshire, said: "I said how proud his mother would have been of him, and he said how hard it was yesterday because it brought back memories of his mother's funeral."

    Caroline Barwick-Walters, 66, of Neath in Wales, added: "He told us how difficult it was yesterday, how it brought back memories of walking behind his mother's coffin."

    The Prince of Wales and princess of wales spent time looking at floral tributes outside SandringhamImage source, Reuters
  7. How is King Charles bearing up personally?published at 15:38 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Sean Coughlan
    BBC News, royal correspondent

    Anyone who has lost someone will know how disorientating it can be, without having to deal with public pressure as well as private grief.

    Since losing his mother, King Charles has had to fly to meet politicians and civic leaders around the UK, take calls from world leaders, while taking part in some emotionally draining ceremonies in the preparation for the Queen's funeral.

    “There are many tired people. I think people who have worked with the King know just how resilient and hardworking he is,” says the King’s spokesman.

    “Anyone who saw the King in Westminster Hall yesterday could see that he was reflecting and mourning for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II."

    He adds: "Today his focus will be on state business and ensuring that state business is complete, before another busy travel programme.”

  8. Cabinet ministers stand guard over the Queenpublished at 15:25 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Alistair Jack and Ben Wallace standing guard over the Queen's coffin in Westminster HallImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Alister Jack (front left, in black) and Ben Wallace (front right, in black) stand guard over the Queen's coffin

    Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Scotland Secretary Alister Jack have been standing guard over the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall this afternoon.

    The members of Prime Minister Liz Truss's cabinet were pictured dressed in dark uniforms, standing on the raised platform where the coffin is resting, while the late monarch lies in state.

    Both politicians are members of the Royal Company of Archers, which functions as the monarch's bodyguard in Scotland.

    The Queen's coffin is being guarded in Westminster Hall 24 hours a day by units from the Sovereign's Bodyguard, the Household Division or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.

  9. Stewards at the back of the queue say it'll be a 10-hour waitpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Laura Gozzi
    BBC Live reporter

    Graphic plotting Bermondsey on mapImage source, .

    Westminster Hall's ancient timber ceilings couldn’t feel further away than this residential corner of Bermondsey in south-east London.

    This is where the back of the queue seems to be forming this afternoon - there's a stretch between Southwark Park (the official start of the queue) and where I am that's empty. A marshal has just told me the wait from here is about nine or 10 hours.

    This part of the River Thames path is usually quiet and a steward mentions that the manager of a local company nearby has complained about the crowds distracting his employees.

    But although they are many miles away from the solemnity of Westminster, people streaming through are already speaking in hushed tones.

    Most are in groups of two or three and the majority are dressed in black.

    Angela and Linn have just arrived from Manchester and are carrying camping chairs and bags of snacks.

    They know they are going to be queuing until well in the night but say they are prepared to wait.

    Quote Message

    She represented us so well, she never put a foot wrong. Even though she went through a lot of hard times with her family - who hasn’t? It’s such a relatable thing.

    Angela and Linn arrived from Manchester
    Image caption,

    Angela and Linn arrived from Manchester

  10. Princess Royal stages a walkabout in Glasgowpublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Princess Anne chatted with well-wishers and accepted flowers from a young girlImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Princess Anne chatted with well-wishers and accepted flowers from a young girl

    Back to Glasgow for a moment, where Princess Anne has met with the city's Lord Provost, councillor Jacqueline McLaren.

    The Princess Royal also chatted to mourners outside the City Chambers in George Square.

    Accompanied by her husband Sir Tim Laurence, she chatted to well-wishers and accepted a bouquet of flowers from a young girl.

    Some people said the princess had thanked them for their sympathy.

    Princess Anne then went inside to meet representatives of a number of organisations of which the Queen was patron.

    Princess Anne will also visit the Scottish Borders to meet residents and staff of Waverley Care Home, pupils from Galashiels Academy and local carers and veterans.

  11. People know they're here for the long haulpublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC Live reporter

    Graphic of queue from the globeImage source, .

    The queue stretches along the Thames as far as the eye can see, with Southwark Bridge in the background. It’s quite a stagnant queue - every so often people pace forward quite quickly before slowing down to a brief standstill.

    Many people know they are in this for the long haul - with an estimated eight hours or so still left from this point.

    But there are refreshments on hand from shops along the south bank and a kiosk has popped up outside the Tate Modern, which features some portraits of the Queen.

    Opposite Shakespeare’s famous Globe theatre I meet Sue Braithwaite and her daughter Jane who travelled down from Preston this morning.

    “We joined the back of the queue around London Bridge [two hours ago] but it feels like we’ve constantly been on the move.

    "We feel we had to be here to pay our respects. We always watched the Queen’s speech and she’s been a constant in my life.”

    Quote Message

    We joined the back of the queue around London Bridge [two hours ago] but it feels like we’ve constantly been on the move. We feel we had to be here to pay our respects. We always watched the Queen’s speech and she’s been a constant in my life.

    Members of the public in the queue on the South Bank, London, by the Globe TheatreImage source, PA Media
  12. Access queue taking less than an hourpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Sean Dilley
    reporting from Westminster

    Tracey visiting from Linlithgow
    Image caption,

    Tracey from Linlithgow in Scotland said the kinks in the access queue had been ironed out today

    Tracey from Linlithgow in Scotland has a mobility impairment, so has joined the accessible route at Tate Britain - which is separate to the line stretching along the south bank of the Thames towards Tower Bridge.

    She told me how she attempted to join the access queue last night, but she felt there had been communication difficulties with officials.

    In the end, Tracey gave up and came back today when she said the kinks had been ironed out.

    It took her less than an hour from picking up her yellow access queue, to paying her respects to Queen Elizabeth II and finally exiting Westminster Hall.

    Inside Westminster Hall those joining the access queue are able to visit step free.

  13. What's been happening today?published at 14:45 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Thanks for joining our live coverage of events following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

    Here's a recap of what's been happening today:

    • Further details of the Queen's funeral have been revealed
    • The event will start at 11:00 BST in Westminster Abbey on Monday 19 September and will be attended by around 2,000 people
    • A period of two minutes' silence will be observed nationwide before the conclusion of the service in London at noon
    • The Queen will then be taken west to Windsor Castle for a smaller service with 800 people, before a further private service for family members
    • Elizabeth II will be laid to rest in the evening in a royal vault alongside her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh
    • Tens of thousands of people from across the UK and around the world are queuing to see the Queen's coffin on the first full day of her lying-in-state in Westminster Hall
    • The line is currently 4.4 miles (7km) long and finishes near Bermondsey Beach in south-east London
    • Senior royals have today viewed tributes to the Queen: The Prince and Princess of Wales have met the public at Sandringham, the Earl and Countess of Wessex have been in Manchester, and the Princess Royal travelled to Glasgow
  14. 'A lot of things are getting overlooked'published at 14:35 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    We've been hearing from many people who are waiting to view the Queen lying in state and leaving tributes around the country - but of course not everyone feels so strongly.

    BBC News spoke to a group of people in York to get their views and here's some of what they had to say:

    Quote Message

    It doesn't mean anything to me at all, I'm not particularly a monarchist. I can see that the head of state passing is a momentous time in history. But it was expected... [It's] the way that life stopped, like [the war in] Ukraine wasn't going on anymore or the cost of living going up."

    Paula

    Quote Message

    I do think it's been a bit overdone. I think there is a lot of pressing issues at the minute, like with energy bills and everything, so a lot of things are getting overlooked because of it."

    Tilly

    Quote Message

    The 10-day mourning, I feel, is something that is maybe being over-egged a little bit I think. On an overall basis I have found it interesting, but nothing more than that."

    Simon

  15. Early birds get front-row spot on Mall ahead of processionpublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Tony Brown
    reporting from The Mall

    Bernadette Christie from Alberta, Canada waiting on the Mall

    People have already started taking up their positions to see the funeral procession for the Queen on Monday - the day of her state funeral.

    Crowds are expected to gather along The Mall to watch the procession and Bernadette Christie from Alberta, Canada, is already there - she arrived at 23:00 last night.

    She says she booked her flight moments after the Queen died.

    “She was such an amazing woman. She stuck to her word, she was the meaning of commitment. We don’t have enough of that these days.

    “She was an extremely good, kind, human being,” she says.

  16. Books, coffees and plenty of spacepublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC Live reporter

    Graphic plotting London BridgeImage source, .

    On Queen’s walk, next to HMS Belfast - the historic warship that is anchored here - the pavements are wide, the queue feels spacious and the atmosphere’s calm.

    Under grey skies, volunteers are on hand to direct people. I’ve seen one person clutching a bouquet of flowers, while many more have cups of coffee in hand.

    Some are reading books while they wait and others are watching the government tracker to see how long they’ll have to wait. Police officers - not just from the Met - are also patrolling.

    Richard Morris, an army veteran, has travelled down from Chester.

    Quote Message

    “I’ve met Charles, I’ve met Princess Diana and I’ve come down to pay my respects to my boss. I’ve got seven or eight hours or so to prepare myself mentally but I’m sure I’ll shed a tear.

    People queue along the Thames path near London Bridge over looking the CityImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    People queue along the Thames path near London Bridge over looking the City

  17. In Pictures: Royal Family out and about as tributes to Queen continuepublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    As further details on the Queen's funeral are announced, senior members of the Royal Family have been visiting various corners of the country to view tributes to the late monarch.

    The Princess Royal greets members of the public during a visit to Glasgow City ChambersImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Princess Anne was greeted by flowers and flags from well-wishers while visiting Glasgow, where she met representatives of organisations of which the Queen was patron

    Prince Edward receiving flowersImage source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
    Image caption,

    The Earl of Wessex and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, visited Manchester to view tributes there

    Sophie, Countess of Wessex reading a message of condolenceImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Inside the city's central library, Prince Edward and his wife read messages of condolence that have been left by members of the public

    Prince and Princess of WalesImage source, Joe Giddens/PA Wire
    Image caption,

    Outside the gates of Sandringham estate, in Norfolk, the Prince and Princess of Wales admired the tributes and chatted to the large crowd who gathered to greet the heir to the throne and his wife

    A sea of flowers lies at Sandringham's Norwich GatesImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A sea of flowers has been left at the estate's Norwich Gates paying tribute to the late Queen

  18. Who will we see at the procession?published at 13:41 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    Prince William, King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince HarryImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Senior royals will again process behind the Queen's coffin

    Senior members of the Royal Family will again accompany the Queen's coffin as it goes from Westminster Hall on Monday morning to Westminster Abbey, in the minutes immediately before the funeral service starts.

    King Charles III will walk with his sister, Princess Anne, and brothers, Princes Andrew and Edward.

    As we saw on Wednesday with the procession from Buckingham Palace to the lying-in-state, they will be followed by Princes William and Harry, and Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips, and other senior male royals.

    After the funeral, there will be another procession, with the carriage and the family walking past Buckingham Palace and up Constitution Hill to Wellington Arch.

  19. The rich history of the funeral gun carriagepublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    The State Gun Carriage carrying the coffin of Sir Winston ChurchillImage source, PA Wire
    Image caption,

    The State Gun Carriage carrying the coffin of Sir Winston Churchill

    The carriage that will carry the Queen's coffin to Westminster Abbey on Monday has a rich history of its own.

    It's a field gun carriage that the Royal Navy has been looking after since 1901. It was taken out of active service for Queen Victoria's funeral in February that year - she was Queen Elizabeth II's great, great-grandmother.

    The carriage was also used at the Queen's father's funeral, and at the funeral of the Queen's first prime minister, Winston Churchill, who died in 1965.

    It will be drawn by what are called Naval Ratings, 142 Navy service personnel. The route from Westminster Hall to the abbey will be lined by more members of the navy and the Royal Marines.

  20. What about any personal touches to the service?published at 13:15 British Summer Time 15 September 2022

    The coffin has been draped in a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown placed on topImage source, UK Parliament
    Image caption,

    The coffin is draped in a Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown placed on top

    Further details, like the order of service and any more personal touches for the Queen, have not yet been released. We might get the order of service on Sunday.

    But we know that the Queen was consulted on all the plans, and that her piper will pipe at the service at St George's.

    And we know that the Crown Jeweller will be in attendance to collect the crown - which we've seen on top of the Queen's coffin while she lies in state - and take it back to the Tower of London.

    You can see our guide to everything we do know, here.