Brits show raw emotion as they finally get to pay respects to the Queen’s coffin after queuing for hours

BRITS have been showing their raw emotion as they pay their final respects to the Queen after standing in line for hours.

Members of the public have been able to pay heartfelt tributes to Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state at Westminster Hall before her funeral tomorrow.

The queue is now so vast the government has warned mourners it could take as long as 24 hours to get to the front.

Many of those waiting have shed plenty of tears as they say goodbye to the Queen who gave 70 years of service to the country.

The Queen died at Balmoral at the age of 96 last Thursday.

Due to the huge number of people wanting to pay their respects, the line stretches from Westminster Hall all the way to Southwark Park in South London, and is thought to be the world’s longest queue at around five miles long, which can even be seen from space.

It’s thought to be even longer than the queue of 30,000 Russians who lined up to get inside the first McDonald’s restaurant in the USSR when it opened on January 31, 1990.

The wait time to get into the Hall surpassed 25 hours overnight, according to the , with mourners wrapping up to keep out the cold as temperatures reached just 7C.

That time though has since been reduced and as of Sunday morning is at around 14 hours.

People haven’t been deterred by the long wait and chilly temperatures with many noting the special atmosphere surrounding the queue.

Paul, a 49-year-old Scout Leader, described his 13-hour wait to pay his respects as “brilliant” and said he would do it all again without hesitation.

He said: “The sense of camaraderie was amazing, we've made friends for life. Everybody was handing out sweets and cakes and singing.”

Donna Dempsey, 47, a health care assistant, had travelled down from King’s Lynn to London and joined the queue at 12.45am.

Despite describing her night in the queue as “freezing” she said it would be worth the wait.

Having travelled from Teesside, Claire Smart, 47, said she come down to “pay my respects and to apologise for all the times as a little girl I rolled my eyes having to listen to the Queen”.

'IMPORTANT TO COME'

She added: “I always wanted to curtsy in front of the Queen when she was alive, and sort of felt it was important to come and do it now.”

Project manager Tatie Kirst, 38, from south-east London said: “Well, it's a journey right? I think I'm prepared, I brought my good coat, I have a stool if I need to sit, I'm getting food and water, and we're going to walk the way. I think there is always a question, Is it worth it? Can I make it? And hopefully, yes. I wanted to be part of this, pay my respect to the Queen.”

NHS urologist Shiv Pandian, 58, from south-west London said: “There's lots of places to eat and toilets and things; you're used to working long hours at the NHS.

'I WANT TO SAY GOODBYE'

“The Queen has served us for 70 years. I've served along with her for 30 years. I've seen three jubilees of hers, and I want to say goodbye.”

Paula Priest, 53, from Wolverhampton, said she was prepared to wait “as long as it takes” to get to Westminster Hall. “We're here for the duration now, definitely.”

Alfie, 11, from Lancashire, proudly wore his Scouts uniform complete with Platinum Jubilee badge, as he stood in line.

His grandmother, Karen Todd, said: “Alfie really wanted to pay his respects to the Queen, and he wanted to come in his Scout uniform to honour her.

“And we came because it's a momentous occasion and a moment in history. They'll always remember this for the rest of their lives, so we've only got this one opportunity.”

Fortunately, they came prepared for a long wait in the cold and had brought thermals and plenty of snacks with them.

Sachet Pariyar and his father. who had served in the Queen’s Gurkha regiment, had come down from Basingstoke to pay their respects.

'PAY RESPECTS'

He said: “My dad served in the British Army before and the Queen's Gurkha regiment, and my grandfather as well. So, we feel like we have that connection with the Queen and we wanted to come and pay respects.”

Also waiting his turn was James Birchall, 33, a trainee physiotherapist from Liverpool.

'SHE WAS GREAT FOR OUR COUNTRY'

He said: “Now I just feel normal and unemotional but as I get closer and closer (to the Queen's coffin) I think I'll start to become more emotional and maybe five minutes before I go in I'll probably, even though I don't look like the type of person, I'll probably start crying. I absolutely loved the Queen, she was great, she had been there all my life, I have always had respect for her. She was great for our country, always did her duty right until she died.

“When she died I was overcome with emotion and I thought, I have got to come to London to see it.”

Speaking about the thousands of people queuing up, he added: “I'm absolutely amazed because there is so many people, young and old - I did not think young people would come, necessarily, because they are not really in tune with monarchy, but there's so many young people here to pay their respects which I think is awesome.”

Vlasta Picker, 73, from Bedford, said: “I came here in 1977 on the Silver Jubilee. Growing up in central Europe, monarchy was a thing of the past, history.

“I was really quite mesmerised, it was massive in 1977 and I have admired her ever since because she was a wonderful person, unique.

“To serve all her life until the end, it's something, isn't it? Unprecedented. And that's why I want to be here.”