The Lying in State

I would love to have gone, but I struggle standing for one hour, so 30 hours would be inconceivable. But I will try to be there in spirit. The procession this morning was so moving, but also brought back all the memories of Diana's funeral, as it must have for William and Harry. The music was the same, the slow march to the drumbeat, the one minute bongs from Big Ben followed immediately by the canon firing, and the grief on the faces of all the mourners, and indeed some of the crowd. I was struggling to hold back the tears.

I gather Pince Charles has now gone back to Highgrove, perhaps he can have a 24 hour break before Wales on Friday. It does seem a punishing schedule for him to undertake whilst his grief only just beginning.

Sorry, King Charles, it is going to be hard to adapt!

No, I have no desire to go - my dodgy back couldn’t cope with so much standing and I wouldn’t enjoy the crowds.

Have a wonderful weekend and safe journey home.

No, although friends said yesterday they were going and seemed surprised that we weren't. They're about 10 or 15 years younger than us.

We lived in London in 1981 and went to see the fireworks with our young DC - it was quite scary making our way home again on the Tube with all the crowds.

I can understand why people feel the need to go - this is history in the making.

Enjoy your weekend in Paris!

My heart says go. My head (and the rest of my body) says don’t you dare. We’ll content ourselves with being part of history through the television screen.

Apart from it being difficult for me to get there on my own, I find it almost impossible to stand for more than a few minutes, and can hardly walk more than a few yards. Otherwise, I definitely would have gone, just to pay my respects and see history in the making.

If I was in my 30s, I would have, but that ship has sailed ?

I didn't even think about going to London. I will be watching from the comfort of my sofa. We will probably have DD, SiL and grandchildren in to watch the State Funeral as they don't have a TV licence, only streaming services.

Same here. I would not be able to stand and queue all that time. I think it is possible to feel part of it without being there.
I am glad to see that provision is being made for those who need more accessible arrangements, and also loos, water stations etc.

I am a royal family fan but would not go to London. It is fascinating watching history being made but wouldn't want to endure the discomfort of overnight camping or staying on my feet for hours on end. That ship has sailed for me.
So now, while I have felt for the Royal family losing a beloved Granny and Mother - I admit to shedding a tear or two as well for an amazing woman. I am happy to absorb the atmosphere, history and pageantry and have been and will continue to be glued the TV with a birds eye view of the whole proceedings.

As I have lived in The Royal County of Berkshire all my life I have seen the Queen and other members of the royal family many many times over the years and have no interest in ‘seeing’ her under a flag.
I’m happy to remember her smiling and beautiful.

I’m not sure I’d have queued for something like this at any age.

Did anyone see that poor chap who was guarding the coffin collapse just now? I was looking at the live feed as I hadn’t seen anything of the proceedings today. As they carried out the change of guard he stumbled a bit, recovered, then a few seconds later hit the floor with one heck of wallop. Thankfully the camera cut away almost immediately. I do hope he’s ok, he really went down hard.

No I will not go. I will watch it on television. I could manage it, but I dont like being pushed or caught up in big crowds. I would get irritable and be thinking I cant wait to get home.
I have always respected the Queen but think I will stay at home that day.

I’m going tomorrow.
I’m happy to queue for hours to pay my last respects to the queen.

I wouldn't have gone to queue all that time but if I'd lived on or near the route the coffin took, I would have gone out to stand and watch it pass by.

I decided to. I don't believe there will be any pushing and shoving though! It is meticulously organised ... no sitting around, the queue is on the move all the time.

gov.uk site.
If you wish to attend the Lying-in-State in person, please note that there will be a queue, which is expected to be very long. You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving.

I have no desire to go and file past her coffin, but I found the procession from the palace to Westminster very moving and beautiful. I am grateful for television, which gives me a front row view of everything.

No, not going. MPs have got 4 tickets so they don't have to queue. In fact I know someone who works in Westminster who has a couple of timed tickets. Don't know how they will have the front to sweep past members of the public who have been there for many hours.

NotAGran55

As I have lived in The Royal County of Berkshire all my life I have seen the Queen and other members of the royal family many many times over the years and have no interest in ‘seeing’ her under a flag.
I’m happy to remember her smiling and beautiful.

Oh dear Notagran you misunderstand.
It’s nothing to do with seeing the Queen under a flag , many on this site have met her or been to investitures or BP garden parties.
It’s paying one’s respects and while I recognise one does not have to be there in person, as age and distance may preclude physical presence, I would still have liked to be there.

Interviewer to child in the queue to pay respects to the Queen:

Interviewer: "Why are you here?"

Child: "Because she's been the Queen my whole life."

"How old are you?"

Child: 8

I loved it.

I couldn't stand for so long either. I feel for the poor guards just standing there it must be hard.

I planned to watch Churchill's funeral as a student but didn't go, and regretted it.
My grandmother, aged twenty-four, travelled from Manchester to London to watch Queen Victoria's funeral procession in 1901.
I should have liked to have observed some part of the mourning procession in person, but sadly due to age and distance it is not feasible now.

Live feed
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-62902778

I did see the Queen Mother laying in state, it was quite an experience.
We made the decision not to go, we have our son living in London so it wouldn’t have been so difficult but the fought of queuing for hours, crowds and security risk put me off..

Are you all aware there is a live stream via webcam of Westminster Hall, if you time it for the changing of the Queens Archers it’s interesting.