People wishing to attend the Queen’s official wake at the Palace of Westminster in London during the last five days of the official program of Elizabeth II’s funeral services may have to wait up to 35 hours in a long line, which may even have to close more. less than a day before the end of the ceremonies, to allow all those who were in the queue to pass the coffin of Elizabeth II within the established period.
The news comes from the British newspaper The Times, which explains that more than half of the 750,000 visitors expected in Westminster over the next few days may be disappointed, since the maximum capacity of the site for the different days will be only about 350,000 people. . .
The wake in the enormous Westminster Hall, on the banks of the River Thames, is the last great public tribute to Queen Elizabeth II before the state funeral, scheduled for September 19. The wake is scheduled to begin at 5pm on Wednesday, when Elizabeth II’s coffin arrives in Westminster after a procession that began at Buckingham Palace. For five consecutive days, day and night, anyone can pass through the Palace of Westminster. The wake ends at 6:30 am on the day of her funeral.
The coffin with the body of Elizabeth II has already left the Chapel of Santo Egídio. Queen arrives in London this afternoon
During these wake days, access to the Palace of Westminster will be strictly controlled. Visitors must form a predefined queue along the south bank of the River Thames, and the British government has already provided detailed information on the procedures to be followed.
At the entrance to the palace, visitors must pass through security gates similar to those at airports. Each person can enter the palace with only one suitcase or bag measuring 40x30x20 centimeters. Inside the building, visitors are not allowed to use their cell phones, photos or movies, and the queue can never slow down.
Outside, the queue should fill up quickly and gain a dimension of several kilometers. The authorities will assign each person a bracelet with a number, so that people can move, leave the place to sleep and return to their place. Camping on site or reserving a place in line for someone else is strictly prohibited.
These days, the English newspapers tell the story of Vanessa and Anne, the two women who were the first people to join the queue that had already begun to form in front of the Palace of Westminster. Vanessa Nathakumaran, 56, from Harrow, outside London, arrived at Lambeth Bridge more than 48 hours before the official queue opened. “I really, really want to be a part of this. I don’t want to lose. They say they’ll probably control the crowds if the line gets too long,” the woman said. Anne Daley, from Cardiff, Wales, arrived at 6am on Monday morning to secure her place in line.
Queen Elizabeth II died last week at Balmoral Palace, Scotland, at the age of 96, after ruling the UK for 70 years. Funeral ceremonies last ten days. This Tuesday, the body of Elizabeth II was honored in Edinburgh, before being flown to London.
Source: Observadora
