Queuing /camping out for, e.g. state funeral. How does it work?

[5foot5]

Just curious really. I won't be doing it. Not because I am indifferent, far from it. I had huge respect and fondness for Her Majesty and am very sad she is no longer with us. I also wish King Charles well and turned up outside my local Town Hall on Sunday to hear the Proclamation. But I am curious as to how it works when people wait for days for big events like this.

I understand that people are already starting to camp out and claim their spaces for the funeral. But how does that work practically? You must have to leave your space occasionally to go to the toilet, get a wash, find something to eat. So do the people around you remember who you are and welcome you back? Do queue jumpers get noticed and repelled?

Also if you are camping out then you must take up more space than a person standing so there must be some point where you have to gather up your stuff to make space. And how do you know when is the last suitable moment to leave your space to go for a wee? Imagine you have waited five days then leave for a last toilet visit and then find the crowds won't let you back.

Does anyone know the accepted etiquette or has done something similar?

As I say I won't be doing this as I live a long way from London and cannot imagine how it works and also feel I will get a better view on the television. However, I am just interested as to how it all works

Wristbands are issued apparently, different colours for when you reach specific 'zones' in the queue, so you're able to leave the queue and go off for a pee/coffee/lunch

I expect there are plenty of marshalls keeping things in check and informing people of timings and when they're likely to reach the front.

AFAIK camping and sleeping bags and stuff are banned

@everywoman682 That's interesting with the wristbands and marshals and things. But I am a bit surprised at the no sleeping bags. So presumably you just have to curl up in a blanket or something?

I just don't get it, it is such a lot of time and effort. People used to queue for ages for Daniel O'Donnell, I didn't get that either, used to see them as a kid and really not understand.

How long will the queue be, in both distance and time?

Don’t they have jobs? Or are they taking annual leave for the funeral. I can’t believe people are queuing already !

'So presumably you just have to curl up in a blanket or something?'

The queue will be constantly moving (albeit slowly!) so I don't think there'll be much curling up!

I heard something on the radio about what can actually be taken into Westminster hall when you reach the front of the queue and it's pretty much just one small bag; definitely no blankets, chairs etc

I live very close to the front of the queue, just on the other side of Lambeth bridge. It's not a bad place to have to queue. Plenty of loos around and places to get a coffee and food and a safe spot pretty much opposite MI5 office 😊 You can just pop to St Thomas hospital any time for a wee!

Will only be “constantly moving” when the building opens. It won’t even do that for 17 hours. It opens tomorrow (Weds) at 5pm and people have been queuing for 24 hours odd already. If the papers are right and it will take average of 30 hours, I wonder if that includes those who have already started?

anyway that’s long enough for me to justify a disposable chair - or even a pull out bed cost tbh- 17 hours of Kip then put it in bin when the queue jumps to its feet … Kip seems worth the £30 cost of said chair

if I were queuing
I am not

it seems better planning to take my chances lining the funereal route to westminster hall tomorrow or the route on Monday and see the coffin in the gun carriage or car rather than in the hall. Much more likely to see it, pay respects and be on way home within an hour or so.

Whoah, stop! Maybe my fault but my question is NOT about queuing up to see the lying on state which I know is a moving queue. I was more interested in people who are claiming their pitch for the funeral

I was born in London, went to uni and lived in London. But I'm fascinated to know what it's like living in Central London. I was looking at Rightmove for Westminster today. Its not something I have thought about before despite seeing the flats popping up continually around Waterloo.

It's been raining all evening and is going to rain till this afternoon today too which still doesn't discourage people. I don't know but don't these people have jobs or kids to take school or appointments or someplace they need to be or is it mostly tourists?

There are many many tents in the line already

People are claiming their pitch for the funeral?!!!! Surely that's by invitation only?
Or do you mean people gathering to watch the procession move from Buckingham palace to Westminster hall today, or to watch it leave after the funeral to take the queen's coffin to Windsor? Why would there be a queue for that? Surely it's people just lining the street somewhere on the route?

(I imagine anyway. I wouldn't do it and have to go to work anyway!)

Ok, here's what I think! (No idea really though, have never done it!)
I imagine the area immediately outside the abbey will be heavily marshaled and there are probably rules about what you can do - I can't imagine tents being allowed there! But for people wanting to line the route and see the coffin, it's over 20 miles from the abbey to Windsor so plenty of spots to pick. Most people who come are travelling in anyway, not just locals so it's not like they need to be right outside their house

Sorry I meant people who have already started to claim their space to watch the funeral go past on Monday. I know it seems incredibly early but there was a thread on here yesterday from a mum whoae 16 year old DD wants to go and someone said that people are already starting to camp out and claim their space

Crazy! I guess some people will just set up camp somewhere along the route the funeral procession will pass. It'll be for the journey to Windsor - it's only a couple of mins from Westminster hall into the abbey, and as I said, I doubt security will allow tents around the abbey itself. With over 20 miles of road between the abbey and Windsor, it seems crazy to camp for days- surely people could find a spot somewhere along the route without needing to 'claim' it now?!

This is for the queue to see the Queen's coffin. You won't be able to sleep in that because it's constantly moving.
I think the OP was more talking about securing a front row seat outside Westminster Abbey for Monday's funeral.