thousands of people parade during the night

IS long wait to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth before the state funeral next Monday. Queues that stretch for miles and, for those who have already lined up for days, over 50 hours of parking behind the barriers have not, however, discouraged subjects and tourists, who have been parading in front of the coffin in Westminster since last night.

The royals in procession behind the coffin of Elizabeth II

The subjects pay homage to Queen Elizabeth

Along the banks of the Thames in the South Bank area, the crowds patiently wait their turn. This morning the queue is over three kilometers long, with an expected wait of 12 hours. And the authorities warn that in the coming days, with the arrival of over a million peopleit could be over 30 hours.

From songs to silence in the presence of Queen Elizabeth

At the beginning of the queue the atmosphere is rather relaxed, even joyful. The subjects befriend each other and sing the national anthem together – often keeping the reference to the queen instead of replacing it with the new king. But as you get closer to the entrance to Westminster Hall, the faces become more sober and silence descends, respecting an unprecedented historical event.

But where does the queue start?

The Queen’s coffin will remain on display until 6:30 am local time Monday morning, when the state funeral will take place. To find out where to join the queue, which will be blocked on Saturday, the British government site has a special page that indicates the precise location. The authorities ask not to bring flowers or folding chairs, but not to forget umbrellas and raincoats.

No cell phones to greet Queen Elizabeth

It is also forbidden to bring along food and water, which can be purchased from stalls scattered along the route, together with 500 portable toilets. Dresses with slogans deemed offensive are not allowed. And once inside Westminster Hall, cell phones are banned. No photos and just time to bow, if you like, in front of the coffin.

Tributes to Queen Elizabeth (IPA)

What will happen to flowers and puppets left for the sovereign

Meanwhile, the body of Royal Parks of London, which maintains the parks in front of Buckingham Palace, have increased their efforts to ensure efficient disposal of the waste left by the hundreds of thousands of people who deposit every day floral tributes and objects in memory of the queen. And he has made available to the subjects queuing in Westminster a team of ecological operators equipped with bags and containers for garbage.

The ecological impact of Elizabeth’s funeral is worrying

The local authorities ask the subjects not to wrap the flowers in plastic so that they can then immediately transform them into fertilizer, while the hundreds of puppets in the shape of corgi or of Paddington Beardeposited in homage to the now iconic sketch shot by the queen on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee, will be delivered to hospitals and charities.

Even the most distinguished guests will have to adapt

The British Foreign Office asked world leaders invited to the event to leave their private jets at home and instead travel as much as possible using commercial lines. Everyone except US President Joe Biden will avoid using armored cars or helicopters and will instead travel to Westminster like the less important Royals: on a luxury bus offered by the Liz Truss government.

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