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LONDON — Thousands filed past London landmarks and ceremonial guards and down a mileslong line to view Queen Elizabeth II's coffin as it rests in the revered Westminster Hall on Thursday.
The line of those hoping to see the queen's coffin before her state funeral Monday stretched nearly 5 miles along the River Thames, with crowds flocking to the capital to say goodbye to the country's longest-reigning monarch.
The new king, Charles III, was expected to spend a quiet day in mourning after Wednesday's grand ceremonial procession before he heads to Wales on Friday.
Here’s what to know:
- The queen will continue to lie in state at Westminster Hall until her funeral Monday.
- Prince Harry marked his 38th birthday while mourning his grandmother's death.
- Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, traveled to Sandringham to view floral tributes this afternoon.
- King Charles III will head to Wales on Friday for a service honoring the queen and will hold a reception later at Cardiff Castle.
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King Charles to host world leaders ahead of queen’s funeral
LONDON — Presidents, prime ministers and monarchs from around the world will travel to London over the weekend to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth and attend a reception at Buckingham Palace to be hosted by King Charles the day before her funeral.
U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the highest-profile guests from overseas who have confirmed they will be attending.
Heads of state and other senior foreign dignitaries will be asked to gather at the Royal Hospital, a retirement and nursing home for veteran soldiers in west London, and are expected to travel in groups to Westminster Abbey, a senior Buckingham Palace official said.
Foreign dignitaries who do come to Britain will also be invited to visit the Queen’s Lying in State inside Parliament’s Westminster Hall ahead of the funeral.
Immediately after the funeral Monday, Britain’s foreign minister, James Cleverly, will host a reception for guests at nearby Church House as members of the royal family head to Windsor for the queen’s burial.
Mourners wait for hours in the dark to bid farewell to queen
Heathrow alters flight schedule to keep skies quiet on day of funeral
LONDON — Heathrow airport will alter 15% of its flight schedule Monday to reduce noise over the London skies as a mark of respect during Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, it said Thursday.
There will be no aircraft movement for 30 minutes around noon Monday to ensure skies remain quiet during the two-minute silence at the end of the funeral.
“Operations to and from the airport will be subject to appropriate changes in order to avoid noise disruption at certain locations at specific times on Monday,” a Heathrow spokesperson said in a statement.
Flights will also be diverted around Windsor Castle during the private family service, it said. The changes, including cancellations, will affect some scheduled flights, particularly in the late afternoon and the early evening.
British Airways said it was canceling 50 round-trip short-haul flights from Heathrow on Monday, while its flights from Gatwick and London City airports will operate as planned. Virgin Atlantic said four of its flights would be canceled.
Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority has separately introduced airspace restrictions covering the funeral as part of overall security arrangements.
King should could continue to push for environmental change, Australian PM says
CANBERRA, Australia — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday it would be “perfectly acceptable” for King Charles III to continue to advocate for climate change action in his new, apolitical role as monarch.
Albanese said before his departure for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral that the new king would decide whether he continues to advocate for reduced greenhouse gas emissions, as he did for years as a prince.
“It’s important that the monarchy distance from party political issues. But there are issues like climate change where I think if he chooses to continue to make statements in that area, I think that is perfectly acceptable,” Albanese said. “It should be something that’s above politics, the need to act on climate change.”
The British monarch is also Australia’s head of state.
In his first speech as king last week, Charles suggested he would be more circumspect as monarch and step back from his advocacy on a variety of issues.
Sex Pistols frontman criticizes use of 'God Save the Queen'
He once sang “she ain’t no human being,” but now Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten, whose real name is John Lydon, is seeking to distance himself from his former bandmates as Britain mourns Queen Elizabeth II.
“The musicians in the band and their management have approved a number of requests against John’s wishes on the basis of the majority court-ruling agreement,” a statement on his official Twitter feed said.
It added that he thought “the timing for endorsing any Sex Pistols requests for commercial gain in connection with ‘God Save the Queen’ in particular is tasteless and disrespectful to the queen and her family at this moment in time.”
Platinum Jubilee tree planting scheme extended to next year
A tree planting scheme started to mark the queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this year has been extended to allow people to plant trees in her memory.
Launched to encourage people to plant trees to celebrate her 70th year on the throne, the queen’s Green Canopy initiative was set to run from last October through the end of this year. However, it has now been extended and will conclude at the end of March.
More than a million trees were planted during the first planting season of the jubilee year, from October to March this year.
Store 'can't keep up with demand' from those honoring the queen
A store near Buckingham Palace "can't keep up with demand with things to honor the queen," the owner said Thursday.
“We are very, very busy,” said Daniela Neagu, who runs Green Park Souvenirs, adding that she had sold thousands of bouquets of flowers and hundreds of flags bearing the queen’s image this week.
She added that she was “begging for any more queen merchandise we can get” and awaiting a fresh order of commemorative cups Friday.