- Title: Mourners wait out the rain to see Queen lying in state
- Date: 14th September 2022
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOURNER, CHRIS IMAFIDON, SAYING: "So she's a multi-visionary individual, inspirational woman. She had that magic about her, much more than normal people, she's an icon of icons. So I must at least endure this camping out of respect, and when I get there I remove this (TAKES OFF HAT) and then say my prayers and then say, she's been an angel, angels take her home. That's what I feel." POLICE TALKING TO PEOPLE CAMPING IN QUEUE SECURITY TEAM WALKING BY VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SITTING AND WEARING RAIN JACKETS UNDER PLASTIC SHEET (SOUNDBITE) (English) SINGER FROM MAURITIUS, JAQUELINE NEMORIN, SAYING: "She's the woman that took care of our soul and why we're here, ever since anyone can remember. To be quite fair you know. So she's really a pretty strong lady, made it throughout all these years of her life, and still work two days before she passed away. And I wanted to do something to show my appreciation to the lady and I don't mind how hard the night has been for me." PEOPLE STANDING ON THE WALKWAY, RUNNER GOING BY BUILDINGS ON SKYLINE CAMPER TAKING COFFEE CAMPER HOLDING COFFEE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CARER FROM LONDON, GLYN NORRIS, 63, SAYING: "Queen Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years, rain for 24 hours isn't going to be a problem for me. So we didn't even think about it. And it's gone so quickly because of the moment we're in, a very historic, special moment. It's just nice to be here, it seems like the right thing to do, being British, and that was my queen." PEOPLE QUEUING ALONG THE WALKWAY PEOPLE SITTING ON THE WALKWAY PERSON LOOKING AT MOBILE PHONE VARIOUS OF CAMPER SITTING IN TENT TALKING TO ANOTHER PERSON (SOUNDBITE) (English) BUSINESS OWNER FROM WREXHAM, MAREIAN KAEWTHONT, 51, SAYING: "My partner drove me from Wrexham, North Wales, yesterday and then he dropped me off here and he goes back for our children, and then he will join me today. So I was crying the night before, I want to come, but he didn't want me to come because of my own safety. It's been tough, yeah, to leave my children at home as well. I would like to come here to pay respect to the queen. She does a lot to (for) us and she's the greatest woman that I know." HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
- Embargoed: 28th September 2022 08:46
- Keywords: Queen Elizabeth II Queen's coffin Queen's funeral campers
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: UK
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Royals,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA003518814092022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Mourners hoping to be among the first to see Queen Elizabeth's II coffin lying in state camped out along the Thames on Wednesday (September 14) despite rainy weather.
The coffin will be placed on a gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery to be taken through central London to the medieval Westminster Hall at 2.22 p.m. (1322 GMT), where it will lie in state until the funeral on Sept. 19.
Jaquelin Nemorin, originally from Mauritius, said she wanted to do something to show her appreciation to the queen. "I don't mind how hard the night has been for me," she said.
"Queen Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years, rain for 24 hours isn't going to be a problem for me," said 63-year-old carer Glyn Norris who also camped for the night next to the Thames.
As many as 750,000 mourners are expected to file past the coffin during its period of lying-in-state.
The government has warned the queue could stretch for up to almost 5 miles along the southern bank of the River Thames, winding past landmarks like the giant London Eye Ferris wheel and a reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe theatre.
(Production: Manuel Ausloos, Aiden Nulty, Lewis Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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