Elizabeth the Great: Queues for lying in state expected to stretch for 8km

More than three quarters of a million people are expected to descend on Westminster to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth.

A woman holding a bouquet among a crowd of well-wishers near Buckingham Palace on Sunday. Flowers will be banned from the Queen’s lying in state in Westminster Hall. Picture: AFP

More than three quarters of a million people are expected to descend on Westminster to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth, with queues extending for up to 8km.

Unprecedented numbers of mourners will try to visit the Houses of Parliament, where she will lie in state from Wednesday night, ministers believe. Queueing times could reach 20 hours.

The event will dwarf the 200,000 who saw the Queen Mother when she lay in state in 2002. The public will be able to file past the coffin in Westminster Hall 24 hours a day until the morning of the funeral next Monday.

The number of people on the streets in London will also rival the estimated one million who came out for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Security sources said the terror threat had changed substantially since 1997, meaning the security operation will be unprecedented.

As many as 10,000 police officers will be deployed in London and army bomb disposal teams will be on standby. The Metropolitan Police is on alert not just for terrorism but for single-issue protesters such as environmental activists. Up to 1500 soldiers will be available to control the crowds, with personnel from all three services. They will assist thousands of stewards who will line the route. The queue will be closed if there are too many people.

The Cabinet Office is preparing for the “very real possibility” that London will become “full” for the first time. Contingency plans are in place for rail operators, Network Rail and Transport for London to tell passengers not to attempt to travel to the capital.

The government issued guidance on Monday for those planning to go to parliament: “You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight … as the queue will keep moving”. People should bring their own food and drink as there will be only “limited refreshments”.

The plan assumes that 750,000 people will want to pay their respects, but officials acknowledge that it could be significantly more. “There’s just no way of knowing,” one said.

Once mourners arrive at parliament, they will go through airport-style security. Only small bags will be allowed and no food or liquid “of any kind”.

The seven-page guide warned that queue-jumpers, anyone who is drunk and those wearing clothing with political slogans will be banned from the lying in state. “Antisocial or inappropriate behaviour (including queue-jumping, excessive consumption of alcohol or drunken behaviour) will not be tolerated and you will be removed from the queue,” it says.

Organisers of the lying in state hope to avoid a repeat of the small protests that marred some of the events in Edinburgh on Sunday. The guidance says: “Do not wear clothes with political or offensive slogans.” Banned items include “placards, flags and advertising or marketing messages”.

Cameras and mobile telephones cannot be used within the Palace of Westminster. Mourners will be allowed to bring one smallbag with a single opening or zip. The list of things banned from Westminster Hall includes flowers and tribute items such as candles, soft toys and photographs.

Waiting in line for others or paying someone to hold a place in the queue is banned. “Only those given a wristband at the end of the queue will be able to stay in the queue,” the guide adds.

It adds that people should “respect the dignity of the event and behave appropriately”, remaining silent once inside parliament.

The Queen’s coffin will be on a catafalque – a raised platform – in Westminster Hall, draped in the Royal Standard with the orb and sceptre on top. Each corner of the platform will be guarded.

The Times