Southwestern Railway has tweeted, external that it will leave an empty train at London Waterloo station's platform 16 overnight for customers to use as a waiting room.

It will be open from 21:40 BST on Saturday until 06:00 on Sunday.

The queue to see the Queen's lying-in-state will continue until 06:30 on Monday, ahead of her funeral.

Officials have said it will shut long before then - the current estimated queueing time, external is now up to 13 and a half hours.

Transport authorities are expecting huge numbers of people to come to the capital for the late Queen's funeral, and are setting plans in motion to cope with the unprecedented demand.

Network Rail has urged people to check live travel information and allow extra time for journeys, saying that "the pressure on London's transport system will grow" on the day of the funeral.

Image source, UK Parliament

Among the many mourners to have visited the Queen's lying-in-state at Westminster Hall earlier was Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, alongside his wife, Sophie.

Trudeau is in London ahead of the Queen's funeral on Monday, which he will attend alongside some 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries.

Trudeau also signed the book of condolence for the Queen at Lancaster House.

In a tweet, he said: "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II served for her entire life, and bore the weight of her duties with impeccable grace.

"Sophie and I are in London for Her Majesty's funeral - and today, we marked the solemn occasion by signing the book of condolences."

King Charles III earlier held an audience with the Canadian prime minister, as well as Australia leader Anthony Albanese, the Bahamas' PM Philip Davis, PM of Jamaica Andrew Holness, and Jacinda Ardern, PM of New Zealand.

Image source, Reuters

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are on their way to London after departing the United States ahead of the Queen's funeral on Monday.

The couple waved as they left Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and boarded Air Force One.

In their last recorded meeting, the Bidens joined the Queen last year at Windsor Castle, where they observed a guard of honour and enjoyed afternoon tea.

We heard earlier from the Dean of Westminster, who shared some details of the plans for the Queen's funeral service.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle has also revealed how some parts of the long-held plans haven’t gone as expected.

He says: "As you work it through, there come moments where you have to recognise no, that doesn't work in the way we thought it would," he said.

"There have been some challenging moments where we've had to adapt.

"There are some people who are working 19-hour days, 20-hour days at the moment, and one of the striking things is just how good they have been, when they're very tired and been positive and making adaptions happen."

Dr Hoyle says flowers that were to decorate Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s funeral service were sent away after failing to get through the strict security checks.

"There was a wonderful moment when I had flower arrangers waiting in the abbey, and no flowers, because, quite properly, the police didn't recognise what the van was and the flowers were sent back," he says.

The Royal Family’s personal sorrow will be at the heart of the Queen’s funeral service on Monday, the Dean of Westminster says.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, who will lead the service, says the ceremony will remember the Queen’s “significance, her place in history, her place in the nation and Commonwealth”.

"But it's a funeral. It's for a grieving family. That's really important, personal sorrow at the heart of this,” he adds.

Dr Hoyle says the occasion will be on a scale which Westminster Abbey doesn't often see, with hundreds of people involved in the preparations working through the night.

Read more here.

King Charles continued his duties this afternoon, welcoming prime ministers from five Commonwealth member countries.

The leaders of Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica and New Zealand held audiences with the King in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace.

Leaders from across the globe are arriving in London for Queen Elizabeth's state funeral on Monday.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Mixing public ceremony with family mourningpublished at 18:43 British Summer Time 17 September 2022

18:43 BST 17 September 2022

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

This was another poignant image, mixing the grandeur of a public ceremony with the intimacy of personal family memories.

The Queen’s grandchildren were standing vigil around her coffin, with the queue of people flowing either side of them.

The people who had queued for many hours, bringing their own memories, shared the big silence of Westminster Hall with the royal grandchildren.

Prince Harry was allowed to wear a military uniform for this vigil, even though he’s no longer a working royal. One of his medals was from his time serving in Afghanistan.

He wore a Blues and Royals uniform and wearing the same uniform, on the other side of the coffin, was his brother Prince William.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie took their place in the vigil. In a tribute this afternoon, they’d talked of the loss of “our dearest grannie”.

They’d remembered someone who had made them laugh, “picking heather and raspberries”.

With the tap-tap-tap of a soldier’s sword on the stone, time was up. They finished their vigil and followed Prince William back out of the hall.

The vigil that the Queen’s grandchildren observed this evening is traditionally known as the Vigil of the Princes – precisely because, until Princess Anne took part in it for the first time on Monday, only men could.

It was carried out for first time in 1936 after the death of George V, when his four sons – King Edward VIII, Prince Albert (the future King George VI and the late Queen Elizabeth II’s father) and Princes Henry and George – stood around the four sides of their father’s coffin at Westminster Hall.

Until this week, where the Queen’s children have stood vigil around her coffin twice, it had only been done on one other occasion – at the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002. King Charles - known then as the Prince of Wales - was one of the people who stood by.

As we’ve said, tonight was the first time that a monarch’s grandchildren have carried out the ceremonial mark of respect.

The Queen's eight grandchildren have ended their vigil at her lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.

Members of the Royal Family are observing the Queen's eight grandchildren as they mount their vigil at her lying-in-state.

Among them are Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, whose children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, are currently standing next to the Queen's coffin.

The Wessexes are stood on a viewing platform to the side of Westminster Hall.

Image source, PA Media

The Queen's eight grandchildren entered Westminster Hall and walked slowly towards their late grandmother's coffin to observe their vigil.

Wearing military attire are Princes William and Harry.

William, the Prince of Wales, is in the Blues and Royals No 1 uniform, the Garter Sash, the Garter Star, the Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals and RAF pilot wings.

Harry, the Duke of Sussex, wears a Blues and Royals No 1 Uniform, KCVO Neck Order and Star, Afghanistan Operational Service Medal, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals and Army Pilot Wings.

The rest - Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn - are all wearing black attire, similar to what they've worn since the Queen died.

They're due to mount a vigil around the Queen's coffin - as their parents have done twice in the last week, most recently last night - for around 15 minutes.

Image source, PA Media

The Queen's eight grandchildren have begun a vigil at her lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.

The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex are in military uniform.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

The Queen has eight grandchildren. Best-known among them are the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex - the King's sons.

They will be joined by Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severn.

There's a large age range between them - Peter Phillips is the eldest at 44, and James, Viscount Severn is just 14.

Following in the footsteps of their parents, the Queen and Prince Philip’s eight grandchildren will shortly stand vigil around the Queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall.

It is a big moment – this is the first time in history a monarch’s grandchildren will perform what is traditionally known as the Vigil of the Princes.

One of the main questions leading up to the event was whether the Duke of Sussex Prince Harry - the late monarch’s fourth grandchild - would be allowed to wear military uniform now he is not a working royal.

It has been confirmed that, at his father King Charles’ request, he will.

Image source, PA Media

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie issued an emotional tribute, external to "our beloved Queen and our beloved Grannie".

The daughters of the Duke of York Prince Andrew, thanked their grandmother for "making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy".

The Royal Family tweeted a photograph of the Queen sat with Beatrice and Eugenie when they were children.

The princesses end their statement with praise for their "dear Uncle Charles", who they say will "continue to lead in your example as he too has dedicated his life to service".

A number of wristbands given out to those queueing to see the Queen lying in state are now up for sale online.

Bands in different colours have appeared on the auction site eBay. While most are listed for tens of pounds, some are listed for hundreds or even more than £1,000 - although few are bidding for the more expensive items.

Officials are giving out the wristbands for free to those who join the queue. They have different numbers and colours, depending on when you join the queue - meaning anyone who buys one online would not be able to skip the wait to get into Westminster Hall.

On its website, external the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport says that wristbands "are specific to each person joining the queue, and are strictly non-transferable."

"You must keep this wristband on at all times as it will be checked along the route," it adds.

Image source, eBay

King Charles has thanked police officers involved in the long-term planning of Operation London Bridge - the codename for the operation following Queen Elizabeth II's death.

During a visit to the Metropolitan Police Service Special Operations Room, the King asked officers if the plans are working.

The officers, who have been involved in the operation for three years, said "they are, absolutely".

"That's the most encouraging thing", the King replied, with a chuckle.

To read more about the ongoing security operation in London, click here.

The government set up the separate accessible route to attend the Queen's lying-in-state for those who needed it. It has now permanently closed.

While the main queue ran across Lambeth Bridge and along the south bank of the River Thames for over five miles (8km) to Southwark Park, the accessible route began at the Tate Britain, near Vauxhall Bridge, and along Millbank to the Palace of Westminster.

Nick Wilson shared his experience of the accessible queue with BBC News, below.