'It's like losing family': Mourners undeterred as queue to see queen's coffin is paused temporarily

Record ID: 1689016

  • Title: 'It's like losing family': Mourners undeterred as queue to see queen's coffin is paused temporarily
  • Date: 16th September 2022
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (SEPTEMBER 16, 2022) (REUTERS) PEOPLE STANDING IN QUEUE OUTSIDE SOUTHWARK PARK MAN CHECKING HIS PHONE SECURITY TELLING PEOPLE TO GO HOME PEOPLE WAITING SECURITY MAN EXPLAINING THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE / WOMEN LEAVING PARK MAN SPEAKING ABOUT A WOMAN VISITING FROM SCOTLAND NOT BEING LET IN SECURITY MAN CLOSING GATE PEOPLE IN QUEUE SECURITY MAN ASKING PEOPLE TO COME BACK LATER WOMAN IN QUEUE UNION JACK IN PERSON'S HAND SECURITY MAN ANNOUNCING SOUTHWARK PARK IS CLOSED (SOUNDBITE) (English) WOMAN IN QUEUE AND VISITING FROM KENT, SOUTHEAST ENGLAND, CLAIRE FOSBEARY, SAYING: "We are positive. Yes, we have come a long way today, all of us, haven't we? We didn't pass the country. We need to pay our respects to the queen, come to say goodbye really. It's a closure." (SOUNDBITE) (English) WOMAN FROM GUILDFORD IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND AND WAITING IN QUEUE, TINA PLAYFORD, SAYING: "It's important. We love the queen, we want to pay our respects to her, say thank you for all she did for the country, the Commonwealth and the world in fact. She was just a wonderful lady and it's our opportunity to say thank you to her. It's a bit like losing family, isn't it? I think she was so much a part of our lives. There was something solid and stoic and safe, knowing she was there." PEOPLE CHEERING AS QUEUE STARTS MOVING AGAIN TWO WOMEN WAVING AS QUEUE MOVES PEOPLE WALKING IN QUEUE PAST WESTMINSTER PALACE / MEDIA CREW MEDALS ON MAN'S JACKET MAN IN QUEUE, ASKING WHERE HE COULD GET COFFEE PAINTING OF PEOPLE IN QUEUE ARTIST PAINTING PAINTING AS QUEUE PASSES BY PEOPLE IN QUEUE OUTSIDE WESTMINSTER PALACE
  • Embargoed: 30th September 2022 15:56
  • Keywords: Southwark Park queue for queen's coffin pauses queue starts
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
  • City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
  • Country: UK
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Royals
  • Reuters ID: LVA001589316092022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Mourners wanting to see Queen Elizabeth lying in state in London were undeterred on Friday (September 16) as the British government urged people not to join the miles-long queue, before eventually being allowed again.
    "Entry (to the queue) will be paused for at least 6 hours," Britain's culture department said on Twitter just before 10 a.m. (0900 GMT) "Please do not attempt to join the queue until it re-opens."
    The constantly moving queue was snaking its way from Southwark Park to parliament's Westminster Hall, where some 750,000 people in total are expected to file past the Queen's coffin before Monday morning.
    Claire Fosbeary, who was in the queue outside the park said she would wait as long as necessary but would not be turned away.
    "We are positive. Yes, we have come a long way today, all of us, haven't we? We didn't pass the country. We need to pay our respects to the queen, come to say goodbye really. It's a closure," she said, after the queue was paused for a few minutes.
    Also in the queue was Tina Playford, who was equally set on waiting it out.
    "It's important. We love the queen, we want to pay our respects to her," said Fosbeary.
    Gates were finally reopened to jubilant cheers by queuers who were finally able to move forward.
    Queen Elizabeth died in Scotland aged 96 last week, prompting an outpouring of emotion that drew tens of thousands out to see her coffin on its journey to London.
    Some 750,000 people in total are expected to file past the queen's coffin.
    The coffin stands in the ancient Westminster Hall on a purple-clad catafalque, draped in the Royal Standard and with the bejewelled Imperial State Crown placed on top.
    (Production: Antonio Denti, Iain Axon, Parul Gupta)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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