DCMS tells people ‘please don’t join the queue’
People have been warned not to leave their homes to join the Queen’s queue in state as it is due to close later.
PA Media reports that the Department for Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) said in a statement:
A decision will be made today on when the entrance to Her Majesty the Queen’s state queue will close when it reaches its final capacity. Queue times are already 13.5 hours and may increase. To avoid disappointment, please do not start joining the queue.
Updated at 10.50 BST
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Here’s a view of the crowds gathered at Windsor Castle a few minutes ago.
Members of the public pay their respects on the long walk inside Windsor Castle. Photo: Victoria Jones/PA
Prime Minister Liz Truss is now in a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Downing Street, PA Media reports.
It is the latest in a series of engagements for Truss today that have included an audience with King Charles at Buckingham Palace and visits to Downing Street by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Andrzej Duda at 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPA
Updated at 3.42pm BST
Mark Sweney
Mark Sweney reports for The Guardian that while the Queen’s funeral may break TV records, it won’t be a cash bonanza for the media industry:
The Queen’s death and coverage of her funeral will top the ranks of the most-watched broadcasts in British television history, while newspaper publishers have seen an unprecedented surge in sales as mourners seek commemorative copies. However, the biggest national event in decades will not provide a commercial bonanza for media companies.
ITV has planned its biggest ever outdoor broadcast, with all its channels broadcasting live ad-free coverage for the first time in its history. The day of the funeral will also be the first time in Channel 4’s four decades on air that it has established a 24-hour block of adverts across its channels.
The BBC, which as the country’s favorite for coverage of major events is expected to capture the lion’s share of the 10 million viewers, has handed over flagship channels BBC1 and BBC2 to broadcast the day of the funeral. Channel 4, Sky and Channel 5 are also committing significant resources and airtime.
All of this means that the total national reach of the event, the number of individual viewers who watch at least some coverage, could exceed that of two of the most-watched live TV events ever: the World Cup victory of England in 1966 and Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.
Mass media televised events are often cash cows for commercial broadcasters, with 30-second ad breaks at an X Factor final or an England match in the latter stages of a major football tournament runs into hundreds of thousands of pounds. However, there was a total blackout of television advertising following the Queen’s death, in accordance with a protocol agreement with Buckingham Palace, for most of the weekend.
“We’re talking about millions and millions of pounds of lost advertising for media owners,” says a senior executive at a UK media agency. “It’s kind of like the media event that commercially never was.”
Read more about Mark Sweney’s report here: Queen’s funeral may break TV records, but it’s not a cash bonanza for the media industry
Taoiseach Micheál Martin tweeted a picture of him signing the book of condolence at Lancaster House, repeating his earlier words that he felt Queen Elizabeth II had done “so much for reconciliation in these islands”. [See 1.21pm]
Today, I signed the Book of Condolences at Lancaster House. In solidarity with King Charles, the royal family and the British, according to HM Queen Elizabeth, who did so much for reconciliation on these islands. pic.twitter.com/1EYwMQ8FPN
— Michael Martin (@MichealMartinTD) September 18, 2022
At the same time, we also have footage of King Charles meeting with Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, which appears to have included some smiles and humor.
Charles III with Gaston Browne at Buckingham Palace. Photograph: Reuters
Browne has said he will call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years, replacing Charles as head of state.
Updated at 15.03 BST
Emine Sinmaz
Emine Sinmaz is in Westminster for the Guardian:
People have set up tents in Westminster and along the Mall in anticipation of Monday’s procession.
Sue Kaminski, 68, who was traveling from the Isle of Wight, picked a spot outside Westminster tube station at 1.30am.
“If you want to see the funeral, you want a front-row seat,” he said.
He befriended Anita Last, 66, and Ben Watts, 29, who sat next to him.
“I’ve come from Birmingham because I want to be here for the funeral. I’ve always loved the Queen and she’s always been there,” said Anita, who arrived at 6am.
“I queued for the Queen to be in state for six hours on Thursday and I also wanted to be here for the funeral,” said Ben, from Guildford, who arrived at 4am. “It’s a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
LR Anita Last, Sue Kaminski and Ben Watts waiting in Parliament Square for the funeral tomorrow. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian Rachel Hall
My colleague Rachel Hall has written an explanation of what we can expect to happen in the coming days after the Queen’s funeral, including where King Charles and the Queen Consort might live:
About 100 staff at Clarence House, where Charles and Camilla lived until the Queen’s death, have been notified they could lose their jobs because she will no longer live there.
Although we know that King Charles is leaving Clarence House, we do not know where he is moving. Queen Elizabeth II had several residences including Buckingham Palace, Balmoral and Windsor Castle.
There has been no official announcement yet, but the new monarch is expected to live in Buckingham Palace, which Charles is understood to consider an important symbol of the monarchy.
However, Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a £369m taxpayer-funded refurbishment, which won’t be complete until 2027. This could mean Charles and Camilla delay their move.
You can read more here: What happens after the Queen’s funeral when Charles III’s reign begins?
Someone bought a corgi at Buckingham Palace today, and Clive is clearly proving a hit with the crowd.
Clive the Corgi is petted outside Buckingham Palace as people visit. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/Reuters
Among the Commonwealth representatives, the President of Singapore and the Head of State of Samoa have been paying their respects in Westminster Hall.
Singapore President Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee and Halimah Yacob pay their respects at Queen Elizabeth II’s flag-draped coffin. Photo: Reuters The Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa, Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aleto’a Sualauvi II pays his respects. Photograph: Reuters
The DCMS has said queuing times are now at least 11.5 hours, and are still urging people not to travel to join the queue.
QUEUE UPDATE FOR HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, AT 2:00 PM, 18 SEPTEMBER.
Queuing time is at least 11.5 hours
The end of the queue is in Southwark Park
A decision will be made today on the final closing time of the queue. To avoid disappointment, please do not join the queue pic.twitter.com/P1KWvyIP0d
— Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) September 18, 2022
Sant Joan Ambulance says 98 people in the queue needed medical attention overnight
St John’s Ambulance said that in the early hours of Sunday morning, from midnight to 7am, around 98 people required medical assistance, nine of whom had to be taken to hospital.
259 people queuing to see the Queen lie in state required medical attention on Saturday, he said.
The charity, along with London Ambulance Service, is providing medical assistance as crowds gather to pay their respects following the monarch’s death.
In total, PA Media reports that around 403 people in London’s “ceremonial areas” required medical attention on Saturday and 19 of them were taken to hospital.
Around 1,000 St John Ambulance volunteers will be on duty during the state funeral in London and Windsor, including 800 who will be available to provide medical support and first aid.
Summary of the day so far…
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People have been warned not to leave their homes to join the Queen’s queue in state as it is due to close this afternoon. It is planned that the closure of the state at 6.30 in the morning on Monday. The DCMS said the latest estimate was that there were at least 13 hours of people queuing to see the coffin.
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Parliament has confirmed that the Elizabeth Tower bell will ring at 8pm BST on Sunday evening to mark what it called a “national moment of reflection”, in which people are encouraged to hold a minute’s silence for the queen
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Before the moment of silence, the Queen Consort is due to pay a televised tribute to the Queen, praising her for playing her own role for many years while in the “difficult position” of being a “lone woman” in a place dominated by men. world
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Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he is grateful for the invitation to Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and paid tribute to her contribution to reconciliation. Martin and President of Ireland Michael D Higgins visited Westminster Hall to pay their respects to the late monarch. Martin also held a 45-minute meeting with British Prime Minister Liz Truss in Downing Street.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also visited No. 10 to see Truss.
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The king also received Truss at Buckingham Palace earlier and, as well as meeting heads of state during the day, he and the queen consort will host a reception for foreign heads of state and guests in London to attend the funeral
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Jacinda, the Prime Minister of New Zealand…