Will you go to see The Queen lying in state?

[SupposeItDoesnt]

I plan to go next week from the midlands, to oh my respects. How many of us are planning the journey? I’m considering going late in the evening as it should be open 23 hours a day according to the news.

I know - but anything beyond Tower Bridge is the arse end of beyond

It is raining heavily and due to rain tomorrow until lunchtime and then again on Thursday.

Anyone queuing now will be drenched (there were some people sitting under umbrellas in Horseguards who looked like they were set for a very cold and wet night)

No. I googled embalming and that is some messed up weird stuff. Who invented that?!!

Dead bodies should go in the ground, or be cremated, asap. They should not be paraded around the country and turned into a tourist attraction.

Bit weird innit.

The Egyptians invented embalming. It was connected with rebirth and the belief that it preserved the body for that. More prosaically it means refrigeration isn't required.

I take it you're not a Catholic then @Whatsthepointofmosquitos? And don't think that funerals serve a purpose?

It's not as though there is a grand tour of the country by the hearse. It's important for the living to be able to say goodbye to the dead.

@Iusedtobecarmen - when you get to London check the DCMS social media for information on the queue then you can head to the closest point to the end of the queue. The Jubilee line of the tube is closest, but keep your eye on reports on how busy it is as it might be better to walk.

Busy Tube stations are having intermittent closures for crowd control. Green Park is frequently affected - infuriating my friend who commutes through that station every day and never quite knows right now what's going on, as the main TfL status page is never up to date (too changeable, I suppose)

But this is TfL's page with Funeral advice

tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/travel-advice-for-the-mourning-period

and I expect they're doing their best to update

Yes to intermittent closure for crowd control, I’ve had that at Oxford Circus without a big event like this

I heard an interesting piece in London being full - recognised term apparently

Also that it’ll be bigger than the Olympics in terms of crowds

Thanks for the update. I've not been to any of these places before. I'm hoping I can suss it out! Quick question about tube tickets. Can I get a day pass for me and the dc. Sure I can. Bit worried about huge queues at machines.
I could have got an oyster card but no time now.

Yes initially I was planning to just walk from the train station to Westminster. However, the queue will be stretching miles and its hard to work it out in my head without really knowing that part if London and not actually being there to see it in RL IYSWIM.
I'm hoping once I get there and have more in to date info and hopefully follow some crowds??!

Looking at it on the TV atm I'm thinking I'd have been best to have gone today and joined the queue now. Think today will possibly be the shorter wait as the queue will only get bigger. Oh well, too late now.

@Iusedtobecarmen you don't need an oyster card. Just scan a contactless payment card at the tube barrier and use the same card when you go through the barrier out at the other end. How much it costs is capped daily. Same on buses.

Oh okay same kind of system yo public transport to where I live then.
DC I guess, scan them through individually first?

DC under the age of 11 are free on the Tube, don't scan them in; just use the wide gates, tap for yourself and all go through together.

If over 11 (and look it) they will need a card they can use. One card per paying passenger.

If that's tricky, you can buy a one-day travel card from machines in the Tube station when you start your first journey

Thank you thats very helpful

Well I went! It was incredible- really moving

I'm surprised the queue was moving too.

I’m glad you went. I went in Edinburgh and so glad I did. Unexpectedly emotional.

I’ve just put the live stream on and randomly David Beckham has just been picked up by the camera! I knew he was in the queue but that was a coincidence!

Is he queuing as a regular person or did he get to jump the queue?

Is he queuing as a regular person or did he get to jump the queue?

He queued with everyone for 12 hours apparently

Elizabeth II: 'This experience is meant to be shared' - David Beckham www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62927306 David Beckham

He joined the queue at 2am apparently. Sky News outed him first apparently and caused a bit of a kerfuffle in people trying to find him.

So glad he queued as a normal person! Unfair of Sky News to out him really!