the government has launched live ‘queue tracking’ to give people an idea of how long they will have to wait to pay their respects to the Queen as she lies in state.
Thousands flocked to London for a chance to see Her Majesty’s coffin before the funeral on Monday, with mourners queuing overnight into Thursday.
Officials are prepared that the queue could stretch up to ten miles, from the Palace of Westminster to Southwark Park, near Bermondsey.
The tracker, created by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and posted on YouTube, showed the queue was nearly three miles long at 8am on Thursday, reaching near Borough Market.
Along with the live queue updates, a three-word marker is given for the exact location where the queue ends, which people can plug into the third-party app What 3 Words to pinpoint the end of the queue on a map.
However, some mourners initially reported that this meant the government tracker was showing them locations as far away as California, North Carolina and Slough.
According to the Telegraph, this is because the three words were originally entered manually, leading to some errors in the locations. They are now reported to be done automatically to avoid errors.
Official guidelines warned those wanting to pay their respects could face hours-long waits with little chance of a break.
The troops hold an early morning rehearsal for the Queen’s coffin procession
Visitors are required to go through airport-style security before entering Westminster Hall, and only small bags are allowed inside.
Public toilets, drinking water and first aid stations are provided at designated locations along the queue route, and police may conduct security searches along the route.
The guide advised mourners to dress appropriately to show respect for the late Queen and to keep quiet at Westminster Hall. Phones should also be switched off.
For those unable to pay their respects in person, broadcasters including the BBC are broadcasting a 24-hour broadcast from inside the Palace of Westminster of the Queen’s funeral, which runs until 6.30am on Monday.