QUEEN AND COUNTRY
Queen’s lying in state ends after up to 400,000 mourners queued for hours to pay their respects over four days
THE Queen’s lying in state ended this morning after more than 400,000 loyal subjects and leaders paid their respects.
Her Majesty’s loving public devotedly braved cold temperatures throughout the night, waiting up to 26 hours in five-mile queues to say their final goodbyes.
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The epic ‘line of duty’ had been filled with camaraderie, new friendships and tears as mourners from all walks of life came together in a show of unity for our longest-reigning monarch.
It closed off at 10.41pm last night, 109 hours after opening on Wednesday at 5pm, to allow the last patient queuers to filter through before the lying in state ended just after 6.30am today.
The closure was marked by senior House of Lords officer Black Rod slowly walking past the coffin and bowing her head one final time.
Very final mourner Chrissy Heerey went past the coffin twice and told The Sun: “I feel very privileged to be the last person through - I had no idea. It feels very special.
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“It was incredibly emotional in there - very solemn and respectful.
“It is an amazing occasion and I just wanted the chance to say thank you again.
“I walked in and bowed, then stopped and took one final look as I walked out.
“She was very Inspiring as a female, mother, grandmother and as a human.”
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"I'm currently serving with the RAF so to be able to do that on behalf of the RAF, and as a female and to an amazing lady that will never be replaced, it was an honour.
"I swore my allegiance to her and I just feel very proud being in the RAF and being one of her subjects.
"I just felt very proud that I was there, and honoured, very honoured, that I was given the privilege to go through again."
She queued for 14 hours and said it was worth it.
The closure came ahead of the first state funeral since Winston Churchill's, 57 years ago.
The Queen will be laid to rest in Windsor with her late husband Prince Philip.
Mum Christine Rogers, 62, who got the final wristbands to Her Majesty's lying in state with daughter Sarah, 29, said: "We put the effort in because it does mean a lot to come and see the Queen."
World leaders including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron as well as King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain also joined the mourning.
Mr Biden, 79, joined by wife Jill laid a hand across his heart yesterday as he stood solemn vigil above the monarch’s coffin for several minutes in a touching gesture. He was the 14th President in the Queen’s reign.
He later signed a book of condolences at Lancaster House, where he said: “To the people of the United Kingdom, our hearts go out to you. The world is better for her.”
It comes as...
- Solemn King Charles leads the Royal Family in an emotional procession behind the Queen's coffin
- Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince George, 9, arrived at Westminster Abbey with mum Kate Middleton
- Meghan Markle bowed her head as she joined the Royals
- Prince Andrew wore a suit after being banned from his military uniform
- Two thousand mourners including world leaders gathered for the funeral
Some 400,000 mourners are estimated to have filtered through Westminster Hall but a final figure is yet to be released.
The last were allowed in the queue last night at 10.41pm near Tower Bridge.
It gave them around eight hours to make their way to Westminster Hall to thank the Queen for her service before her funeral today.
Police barred at least 100 disappointed people from joining.
Mourners have instead been heading to secure a spot for the funeral service.
By 5am, Parliament Square was already filled with thousands of people while a steady stream of overnight queuers was emerging from Westminster Hall.
For the first time in a week, Albert Embankment on the south side of the River Thames was empty with no sign of the queue.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport had warned people throughout yesterday not to set off for the line to avoid disappointment.
The accessible queue was permanently closed on Saturday when it reached full capacity.
Last night King Charles thanked the nation for its support and outpouring of love since the Queen died.
The King, 73, has travelled more than 2,000 miles to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to meet crowds of well-wishers.
And he met crowds in the queue for his mother's coffin with his son Prince William in a surprise visit on Saturday.
One person told Wills: "You'll be a brilliant king one day", before he said to another: "It really means a lot that you're here."
As Buckingham Palace released a previously unseen picture of Her Maj taken in May, above, Charles said: “Over the last ten days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world.
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“In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, The late Queen.
“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my Family and myself in this time of grief.”
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