The Lying in State

Maw like you I would have liked to be there too but am without a reason. (Paris? Lovely). I too would not want to go in my own and could not stand and wait that length of time.
You say ‘many of us on this site have met her, or attended investitures or BP garden parties’. I would have thought perhaps a few, but not the many. Certainly not me, or mine, despite decades of public service. How nice to have had that opportunity.
RIP Queen Elizabeth 11.

I would go, London is my town, but I won't be back home in time.
I am, however, in the most British Town in France.

No have no notion at all to go and see the Queen lying in state...I don't agree at all with all the pomp and ceremony I think it's totally outdated and completely OTT....This is my opinion but I totally respect that other people have a different view.

Some in shorts and t-shirts! Yes, I am amazed that anyone wotuld queue that long and then not have a clue about appropriate behaviour. I am so glad they banned phones and cameras.

Felt so sorry about the guard who fainted and fell, poor man. First time I visited Windsor Castle, it was very hot. One of the Guards was sick, then fainted and fell flat into the puddle he had made.

But no, I wouldn't go.

That surprises me in a Catholic country. Was it a proper hat or something like a baseball cap?

I was once told firmly to remove my hat in a church in Italy. Never understood that nor had the courage/ language to query it. Not a chance they thought I was male.

I’m surprised they’ve got away with it. DH got dunted in the back and told to take his hand out of his pocket by a man even older than him when we were looking round a cathedral in Vilnius.

I agree. I too have been disappointed by that.

Disappointed to see that (some) men are not removing their hats on paying their respects.
Or AIBU?

At least we can watch on a reasonably sized TV, in colour, from the comfort of our armchairs.

When the Coronation was on television my parents bought a black and white TV and all the neighbours crowded into our sitting room, peering at the small screen.

Just seen on BBC a 91 year has queued, amazing.

I would love to go but couldn’t cope with the travelling and the queuing. Seeing the look on peoples faces on tv makes me realise that it’s a very emotional experience. Had I had a clear week I would have gone to Edinburgh but I had two events planned either side of the day I could have gone and it would have left me shattered. I feel that I have let her down though!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.