More than two million people are expected to pour into London for the Queen’s funeral. The crowds are forecast to be double those who turned out for Princess Diana in 1997.
It is expected to be the highest-attended event in UK history as well as television’s most viewed. More than 500 foreign dignitaries will pay their respects – kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers from almost every nation.
President Joe Biden and his wife have been given a dispensation to travel in his armoured Cadillac, known as the Beast. The less fortunate will travel by special bus. Other guests will include Olena Zelenska, wife of President Zelensky of Ukraine, President Macron of France and King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan arrived at Claridge’s hotel with a mountain of luggage including five cabin trunks. Killing Eve actress Sandra Oh will attend as part of a Canadian delegation led by PM Justin Trudeau.
Also among the 2000 congregation will be nearly 200 everyday heroes – volunteers, charity workers, NHS staff and service veterans. Worldwide, more than four billion are expected to watch on TV. It will be the UK’s biggest security operation with more than 15,000 police on duty. They will include divers, dog-handlers, mounted cops, motorcycle outriders and firearms officers.
Undercover SAS soldiers will be there, with special forces prepared to seal off the capital in the event of a major incident. An air exclusion zone will also be established.
More than 4000 military personnel will be involved in the procession although the chief of the defence staff told BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that the overall total will be much higher.
Sir Tony Radakin said more than 10,000 personnel are due to perform their “last duty” to the Queen. As mourners continued to queue to file past the coffin yesterday, others began camping to get a view of today’s ceremony.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The world has not seen a funeral like this.” He added: “I’ve seen civil servants and others working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making sure that everything is ready.”
The Dean of Westminster Dr David Hoyle, who will lead the ceremony, said: “It’s on a scale that even West- minster Abbey doesn’t often do. It’s meant to be visual. It’s meant to be grand. We’re supposed to be reminding ourselves of this extraordinary woman.
“Part of this is about remembering her significance, her place in history, her place in the nation and in the Commonwealth. But it’s a funeral. It’s for a grieving family. That’s the really important, personal sorrow at the heart of this.”
Four horses will lead the coffin procession from the Abbey. The animals – George, Elizabeth, Darby and Sir John – were a gift to the Queen from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. After the funeral the coffin will be taken to Windsor for a televised committal service in St George’s Chapel before a private burial in the King George VI Memorial Chapel alongside Prince Philip.
The committal will be attended by 800 mourners and conducted by Dean of Windsor David Conner, with a blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber said the Windsor crowd will be bigger than the 150,000 at the wedding of Harry and Meghan in 2018. Last night thousands queued along the Great Walk to lay bouquets.
The line snaked out of the town centre for around a mile then back into Windsor Great Park. A sea of flowers lay outside Cambridge Gate at the end of the Long Walk.
Many had been left by children. Oliver – aged nine – had drawn a Paddington Bear with the message: “Thank you for being our Queen.” Across Britain, supermarkets, stores, cinemas and businesses will close as a mark of respect. Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi will be shut all day.
Sainsbury’s convenience stores and petrol stations will open from 5pm. Asda will close for the funeral but open from 5pm with staff receiving double pay. Marks & Spencer and Primark will also shut for the day together with cinema chains Cineworld and Odeon.
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