Two million mourners set to descend on London for the Queen’s funeral with four billion watching on TV

MORE than two million mourners are set to descend on the capital for the Queen’s funeral — while more than four billion will watch it on TV.

It is expected to be the highest-attended event in British history — and television’s most-watched ever.

Tomorrow’s state funeral — which starts at 11am — has also sparked the biggest security operation ever staged in the UK, with more than 15,000 police on duty.

Yesterday, King Charles visited the Met’s Special Operations HQ in Lambeth, South London, where officers are planning for the momentous day.

He said it was “encouraging” everything was going to plan, adding: “It’s nice to know where it all happens. This is the absolute hub, isn’t it?”

Last night, hundreds of dedicated royal fans were setting up camp near Buckingham Palace to secure prime positions for the funeral procession.

The Mall was littered with tents, sleeping bags and blankets keeping mourners wrapped up in the cold.

One, Kara Jennings, 52, whose nan worked for Her Majesty as a cleaner, said: “I’m here to pay my respects to our incredible Queen, who gave us a lifetime of service. It’s great to see so many people already here. We’re sharing stories and making friends.”

Bernadette Christie, 68, had travelled all the way from Alberta, Canada.

She said: “We all know who the Queen is — our grandmother. I don’t think we’ll ever be totally prepared for her funeral. There will be tears flowing.”

Another mourner, Sarah Payne, 49, said: “The Queen has done so much for the country and the Commonwealth.

"Being here is the least we could do after everything she’s done for us.

"I was here for the Platinum Jubilee in June, the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and have done every Trooping the Colour.”

Experts believe crowds will be five to eight deep on both sides of the road for the 1.7-mile procession — first from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey and then on to Wellington Arch.

More than two million are expected to congregate in London.

Crowd safety expert Professor Keith Still said: “It is a barometer of public sentiment.”

Among police specialists on duty will be divers, dog-handlers, mounted cops, motorcycle outriders and firearms officers.

Undercover SAS soldiers will be there, with Special Forces prepared to seal off London in the event of a major incident, while an air exclusion zone will be established.

More than half of the world’s population is expected to tune in for the state funeral — the first in Britain since Sir Winston Churchill’s in 1965.

Carolina Beltramo, analyst at , said “no fewer than 4.1billion people” are expected to watch the Queen be laid to rest.

'Biggest live TV event in history'

She added: “Such is the love and admiration for Queen Elizabeth II around the world that her funeral is destined to be the biggest live TV event in history.

“Generations of people across the globe won’t have been alive the last time pomp and pageantry were seen on this scale.

“While it’s a sad occasion, they can be forgiven for being enthralled by a spectacle that echoes throughout history.

“For that reason alone they’ll be drawn to witness the dawn of this new age in their billions.”

The Queen’s send-off tomorrow is set to eclipse the moment when Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic torch at the Atlanta opening ceremony — watched by 3.6billion worldwide.

More than 650million — 94 per cent of people watching TV — saw Neil Armstrong walk on the Moon in 1969.

Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 was seen by 2.5billion.

In the UK, tomorrow’s TV coverage could break the all-time high of 32.3million who saw England win the 1966 World Cup.

Diana’s funeral fell just short of the record, at 32.1million.

The announcement of the Queen’s death brought in a total audience of almost 30million across all BBC TV channels and iPlayer throughout September 8.

• Full coverage of the funeral will air on the BBC from 8am to 5pm and ITV from 6am to midnight.
• Additional reporting: Sukhmani Sethi and Saskia Rowlands