The British have to be patient to greet their beloved queen: several kilometers in line to reach the coffin

Sylvie Claire / September 15, 2022

Food, bottled water and above all a huge dose of patience: tens of thousands of Britons are determined to gather on Thursday in front of the coffin of their beloved Queen Elizabeth II in London, before a grand funeral on Monday.
 
The interminable queue that stretches for several kilometers and could reach fifteen, from Westminster Hall to the south-east of the capital, on the other side of the Thames, is far from discouraging them.
Not more than the draconian security set up to be able to parade briefly in front of the closed coffin of the 96-year-old sovereign, who died on September 8 and was unanimously praised for her total devotion to the Crown. 
Last step before the funeral of 10 days of poignant national mourning, the body is accessible to the public since late Wednesday afternoon. It was then transferred in a solemn and emotional procession from Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Elizabeth II during her record 70 years of reign.
 
In order not to lose one's place in the queue, only a short pee break is possible in one of the 500 temporary toilets specially erected for the occasion. Hundreds of volunteers are expected to supervise the crowd, as well as refreshments in the shops or institutions along the line, such as the National Theatre. 
"She has given us and the world so much. The least we can do is wait in line for a few hours to see her at rest," Adam Armendariz, a 35-year-old sales manager who came straight from work, told AFP. Although he only brought his laptop with him, he said he was ready to "wait as long as necessary ».
 
Arrived from Scotland where the sovereign died, the body is presented on an imposing catafalque in Westminster Hall, the oldest room of the British Parliament open 24 hours a day until Monday 06:30, day of the final farewell with a national funeral at Westminster Abbey, in the presence of hundreds of foreign dignitaries and crowned heads.
The oak coffin, placed on a gun carriage, covered with the royal standard and topped with the imperial crown worn by Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953, was followed on foot by King Charles III, the monarch's eldest son, and other senior members of the royal family.
Some members of the public had taken the lead, not hesitating to wait the night before in front of the parliament. Like Nina Kaistoffioson, a 40-year-old artist in "tears", who came to say "thank you" to the Queen for "her service to the nation". She had spent two days waiting in the rain, but had planned a change of clothes before entering the cathedral.
 
For the authorities have warned of "draconian restrictions", worthy of airports, and asked the public to "dress appropriately to pay tribute" to the sovereign, ubiquitous through several generations of Britons and a rock of stability in crises and changes.
Inside Westminster Hall, the public can only bring a small bag, and no food or drink other than a clear, empty water bottle is allowed.
 
Before this long farewell over several days, the coffin of Elizabeth II had already been exposed for 24 hours in Edinburgh, from Monday evening to Tuesday, greeted by some 33,000 people.
On Monday, the crowds will be even more massive for the funeral of the century, a huge security challenge for which London is preparing feverishly. Among the expected heads of state, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed on Wednesday "the great admiration of the American people for the Queen" and his "desire to continue a close relationship" with King Charles III.
For this historic event, a public holiday has been declared and many businesses, including almost all supermarkets, will keep the curtain down.
 
Before that, the 73-year-old sovereign and the Queen Consort will visit Wales on Friday, the last stop on their tour of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom after England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Older than any other British monarch when he acceded to the throne, he is taking office at a difficult time for the United Kingdom, which has just appointed a new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and is in the midst of a social and economic crisis. His popularity ratings have soared since his accession to the throne.
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