The Queen’s coffin at London’s Westminster Hall wait reaches 14 hours
The queue to see The Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall reached a record-breaking 14 hours before being paused for 6 hours, the UK government said.
Determined mourners braved the chilly weather conditions during the night in a desperate bid to pay their respects to Her Majesty one last time after her death at the age of 96.
The landmark opened its doors to the general public on Wednesday and will remain open for 24 hours each day before closing at 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 19 — the day of Her Majesty’s state funeral.
With each coming day since, royal fans ignored warnings of a 30-hour wait as they patiently inched closer to Westminster Hall in a queue snaking around the center of the capital.
On its official live tracker, the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport warned of a 14-hour wait time in a queue that snakes more than 4.9 miles around the capital.
Those waiting in line are asked not to save a place for others or leave personal items unattended. Putting up tents is also frowned upon.
Inside Westminster Hall, the silence was deafening.
Though it’s not possible to see Queen Elizabeth’s body, the public does experience a chance to walk near the royal’s closed coffin, which is covered by the Royal Standard flag.
The coffin is guarded by four soldiers who are placed in each corner of the platform.
Mourners were asked to pass the coffin without stopping to ensure the line continued to move swiftly throughout the day and night.
Upon entering, mourners were guided through airport-style security clearance, according to the UK government’s website.
None of this, however, stopped those that wanted to be there.
“The queen is all I’ve ever known,” Kam Kaur, 37, told The Post. “As I entered and walked up the stairs, the reality kicked in.”
“I felt nervous slightly I don’t know why,” said Kaur, whom it took two hours just to find the back of the line. “It was silent. It was beautiful. It was gracious. It was special.”
After she and her sister waited over 8 hours to see Her Majesty’s coffin for less than 5 minutes, Kaur admitted that reality set in.
“I would do it again tomorrow if I had to.”
Queen Elizabeth II was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Her funeral will mark the end of the 10-day period of national mourning and will be a public holiday across the UK.
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