'You could hear a pin drop': Mourners reveal 'breathtaking' atmosphere after paying respects to the Queen at Parliament
15 September 2022, 22:08 | Updated: 16 September 2022, 02:27
Mourners have revealed the "breathtaking" atmosphere in Westminster Hall after having paid their respects to the late Queen.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Despite hours of waiting to say their personal farewells to the monarch, members of the public said the experience was completely "worth it".
Black-clad mourners have been surrounding the Queen's coffin throughout the day, with their heads bowed out of respect.
Some wiped away tears as they bowed or curtsied one last time and moved on while others blew kisses towards Her Majesty.
Crowds patiently awaited their turn as they filed in, with a quiet and solemn mood filling the room.
Amy Harris, 34, described the atmosphere in Westminster Hall as "breathtaking".
Ms Harris, who travelled to London from Birmingham to join the queue at around 1am, said: "When you're able to go in and have a moment to look at it and reflect...
"The serenity of it - to be able to pay your respects in such a serene place, it's very peaceful."
James Cross, 65, who met Ms Harris in the queue, said: "It's just like the only person that's there is you.
"You walk in and you could hear a pin drop."
Fiona Holloran, 34, wept as she left Westminster Hall after paying her respects to the Queen.
Ms Holloran, from London, said: "It was very moving to see the vigil around her - I was a little bit surprised at how much it struck me."
The PhD student, who queued from 6.30am with her baby strapped to her in a carrier, said the wait had been "worth it."
"It's lovely that everyone has just a moment to themselves - no one was pushing."
The growing queue to see the Queen lying in state has continued to expand throughout its second day, snaking along the River Thames.
It is nearing the final location of Southwark Park and going as far back as five miles - the wait time having soared to nine hours.
The line is expected to grow even further throughout the night, in anticipation for the final Vigil of the Princes which is due to take place on Friday evening.
The Queen's four children - King Charles, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex - will once again surround their mother's coffin for the 15-minute ceremony, replicating the act they performed in Edinburgh.
The British public are showing a "great response" by queueing in large numbers to pay their respects, Downing Street said.
Prime Minister Liz Truss's spokesperson said: "The people of the United Kingdom are demonstrating not only respect for each other in queuing in such a responsible way and showing sort of a great response to this situation."
He said there are "large numbers of people on hand to help" and that it is "great to see everyone pitching in".
Millions of mourners are set to continue to descend on the capital in coming days, ahead of the Queen's state funeral on Monday.
The ceremony will see around 500 dignitaries attend, including the leaders of most Commonwealth countries.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying she will make the nearly 24-hour journey and her Canadian and Australian counterparts, Justin Trudeau and Anthony Albanese, have also confirmed their presence.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been snubbed for the occasion, along with leaders in Belarus and Myanmar.
