The lineup to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II is growing by the hour and some are warning that there could be “horrible stories of suffering” for mourners who could wait upwards of 30 hours to file past the coffin.
The British government has told the public to “be prepared for long queues” and said they’re stationing thousands of security and support staff and volunteers along the kilometres-long line to help keep people safe.
The line to view the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is likely to be one of the longest that London has ever seen — authorities have planned for the lineup to stretch 16 kilometres.
“What we’re seeing this week and what we are going to see on Monday (the day of the funeral) is of an order of magnitude we simply haven’t seen before,” royal biographer Robert Hardman told Global National host Dawna Friesen.
Hardman is the author of Queen of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth II and has covered the British monarchy for three decades.
The line already stretches from Parliament, across nearby Lambeth Bridge and along the opposite bank of the River Thames.
Despite the assurances of heavy security and public warnings, some are warning that things could get dire.
“I have a fear that we might be sleepwalking into a really difficult situation,” Johnathan Haslam, chief communications secretary for former U.K. prime minister John Major, told Times Radio.
“We’re going to see some horrible stories about people suffering, trying to pay their respects. And there’s got to be a better way of doing these things. And it may not be too late to rescue it,” he told the radio program, adding that a 30-hour line would be very difficult for older people to withstand.
The U.K. government is warning visitors they could be in for a gruelling wait.
“Please note that the queue 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 keep moving,” it warned on its website. “Please consider this before you decide to attend or bring children with you.”
Local outlets estimate that anywhere from 400,000 to one million people could join the line in the hopes of filing past the queen’s casket in Westminster Hall, where she will lie in state until Monday’s funeral.
The estimated number of people expected in line is more than three times the number who came to see the Queen Mother after she died two decades ago.
Trying to prepare for this huge logistical ordeal, the government has made additional washrooms available, and will also be handing out food and drink to the waiting public. It has, however, asked that people make sure they bring enough sustenance and warm clothing for themselves.
Should they need to leave the line for food and bathroom breaks, people will be given numbered wristbands to hold their place in line for a short period.
There will also be a shorter line for people with disabilities and people can register for a timed entry slot to access the accessible queue.
The U.K. government has published a live queue tracker for people to follow on YouTube. As of press time, the line had already grown close to four kilometres in length.
According to Reuters, Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, brought a bit of levity to people waiting in line Wednesday, telling them, “We are honouring two great British traditions, loving the queen and loving a queue.”
Prime Minister Liz Truss’ spokesperson told The Guardian that the government intends to allow as many people to line up as possible, but could potentially close the queue if needed.
“We do want as many people as possible to be able to come to the lying in state,” he said. “This is a significant period of mourning for the people of the United Kingdom. What we are doing is being upfront with what we expect to be significant numbers of people.
“So that will be long queues running overnight over successive days. We do have detailed plans in place to mitigate that.”
Airport-style security checks are in place near the front of the line before people can enter Parliament.
— With files from The Associated Press
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