Thousands queue to say goodbye to the Queen
- Published
As of Friday morning, the queue starts on the Albert Embarkment on the River Thames, and at 8am it was nearly 5 miles long. People have travelled from all over the world to pay their respects to the Queen.
People are queueing to enter Westminster Hall, where the Queen's coffin is surrounded by royal guards. This tradition goes back over 100 years.
There's even a special page on YouTube which tells people where the queue is and how long it's taking. It gets regularly updated so people know roughly how much time it will take for them to make their way through it.
Inside Westminster Hall, the coffin is constantly watched by special royal staff, including people from the Sovereign's Bodyguard, the Household Cavalry, and the Footguards.
The first monarch to take part in a lying-in-state in Westminster Hall was Edward VII in 1910, and the building itself dates back to the 11th century!
They are queueing next to London's biggest landmarks, like the London Eye - which is 135 meters tall!
You can also see Tower Bridge behind these volunteers in green - did you know it opens in the middle to allow tall ships through.
To get into the queue for Westminster Hall you have to register. When you do you are given a special wristband, which gets you in to Westminster Palace. It also has your number in the queue printed on it, so if you need to nip to the loo, you can find your place again.
Volunteers from The Scouts, Samaritans, The British Red Cross and The Salvation Army are currently helping keep the queue organised. These people are helping out by offering drinks and snacks to those waiting.
The Queen ruled for 70 years, and by the end of her rule, she was the Queen in 15 countries. She also saw 15 different UK Prime Ministers under her rule.
- Published19 September 2022
- Published19 September 2022
