This YouTube Channel Is Tracking The Stunning Miles-Long Queue To See Queen Elizabeth II's Coffin
The body of Queen Elizabeth II is currently lying in state following the monarch's death on September 8. The tradition is standard practice in several countries and sees a notable leader or former leader's coffin be placed in a public building while other key figures and members of the public visit to pay their respects. In Britain, it dates back to 1910 when the body of King Edward VII, Queen Victoria's son, was placed in Westminster Hall prior to his funeral (via AP).
Britain is in an official state of mourning following the death of its monarch. Officials expect around half a million people to file past the queen's body before the doors of Westminster Hall close at 6 a.m. on Monday — the day of the queen's funeral. While paying their respects, each member of the public files slowly along a pre-determined route, turns to face the queen, bows their head, then walks the rest of the route out of the building. There are only so many people that can move through the small hall at one time, and given the respectful nature of the occasion, they aren't moving at speed — so naturally, a line has formed, and that line is pretty long.
How to check on the line to Westminster Hall
Officials are allowing the line to reach a maximum length of 10 miles. It was around two and a half miles long on Wednesday (September 14) and is currently just under 5 miles long with an estimated waiting time of nine hours. The route goes from Westminster hall, across Westminster Bridge, and along the South Bank of the River Thames all the way to Bermondsey. You can view the line's length and estimated wait time on the British Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport's official YouTube Channel, which we've embedded above.
The exact end point of the line can also be found on the What3Words website. The words are currently Navy.Noises.Overnight, which places the exact end point at the time of writing in London's Southwark Park. The three words needed to find the end of the queue are also visible on the live YouTube feed. If you don't want to travel to London and line up overnight, you can also watch the Queen lying in state online.