As of 6 a.m., the line to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II stretched for miles through central London, from the south across the Thames River to near Blackfriars Bridge, a distance of two miles. The line is carefully managed, with stewards, wristbands and toilets along the way.
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- Thousands waited through the night to catch a brief glimpse of the queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall, where it was brought in a military procession led by members of the royal family on Wednesday. The line has its own YouTube channel that provides live updates. People came from all over, including the United States.
- The Archbishop of Canterbury conducted a service at Westminster on Wednesday, attended by King Charles III and the rest of the royal family. Senior politicians including British Prime Minister Liz Truss were also in attendance.
- The queen’s funeral is expected to disrupt daily life in Britain on Monday. The government has declared it a public holiday, forcing some hospitals to reschedule nonurgent surgeries and major sporting and cultural events to change plans. Even McDonald’s plans to shut its fast-food restaurants until 5 p.m. that day.
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The times are five hours ahead of Eastern time.
- As the queen lies in state at the Palace of Westminster, the public will be able to visit 24 hours a day until 6:30 a.m. Monday, the government said.
- King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, will visit Wales on Friday, the latest leg in their inaugural tour to all four corners of the United Kingdom.
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- Players and fans stood to observe a minute of silence in the queen’s honor at soccer matches in and around the British capital on Wednesday evening.
- Guns were fired in Hyde Park and Big Ben tolled regularly during the somber procession that brought the queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster. Princes William and Harry walked behind their grandmother’s coffin, side-by-side, with stoic, stony faces, in the latest sign of a possible royal rapprochement.
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- Why can’t the crown skip a generation to William? With Elizabeth’s grandson, William, the preferred royal to become monarch among many Britons surveyed, some have asked why the crown can’t leapfrog over Charles.
- How do Britons view Camilla? She has long been vilified as “the other woman.” But in recent days, she appears to be easing into the affection of Britons, who see her as a no-fuss royal — free from a temper or elitist airs. When Charles became irritated by a leaky fountain pen on Tuesday, Camilla calmly completed the task.
- What role is Princess Anne playing in the royal ceremonies? Often overlooked, the queen’s only daughter has been central — the only one of her siblings to accompany the queen’s coffin on a six-hour car journey through Scotland, and on the plane to London.
- Who will be at the queen’s funeral? The event is expected to attract hundreds of world leaders, including presidents, prime ministers and monarchs. Security arrangements will be complex. Foreign dignitaries have reportedly been asked to take shared buses to the funeral at Westminster Abbey to avoid clogging London’s streets, although an exception may be made for President Biden to arrive in his armored presidential limousine, known as “the Beast.”
- What do all the symbols in the funeral processions mean? Scepter, orb, crown — each object and location reflects some aspect of the royal family’s place in British life, whether military, administrative or religious. Here’s an illustrated guide to the meanings of these symbols.
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On a U.K. tour, Charles is asked if he can be the king of hearts. Charles is embarking on his first tour of the United Kingdom as monarch. Ensuring the future of the House of Windsor, with the disadvantage that he is less popular than his mother, is one of the central challenges he faces.
British republicans who want to abolish the monarchy still see an opportunity with Charles in charge.