Queue to see the Queen and crowds of mourners so big they can be seen from space
17 September 2022, 12:22 | Updated: 17 September 2022, 12:23
Satellite imagery has captured the enormous scale of the queue to see the Queen lying in state.
Tens of thousands of people have been patiently waiting as long as 24 hours to see the Queen after the doors opened at 5pm on Wednesday.
There had been warnings not to travel to try and see the Queen earlier today, which have now been lifted. The current queue time is estimated at around 14 hours.
People in the queue faced chilly temperatures of 7C just before 7am on Saturday, at which time the official queue tracker advised the public not to make the journey.
Read more: Prince Harry to stand vigil at foot of Queen's coffin in military uniform
Despite regularly checking the tracker, mourners went against advice to travel to pay their respects to the late monarch.
Satellite images capture the sheer scale of the number of people waiting along the banks of the Thames.
Colorado-based space tech firm Maxar Technologies posted the images on Twitter, showing the enormous queues, visible from miles above.
The images, taken at 12.01pm yesterday, show huge queues gathered near the London Eye, the snaking zig-zag lines near the Thames, as well as people waiting near Buckingham Palace.
Those who braved the trip despite Government warnings were pleasantly surprised by the pace of the queue today.
On Saturday morning the tracker had stopped telling mourners not to travel, and the wait had dropped to around 14 hours.
There was constant movement through Southwark Park until the Thames path along Bermondsey Wall East where the queue became more stationary.
Bright pink wristbands, which state they do not guarantee entry to Westminster Hall, continue to be handed out.
Those waiting described the experience as well-organised, with friendly staff and officers on hand to assist.
