Thousands say farewell
2002-04-08 06:21
London - Tens of thousands of mourners stood in a giant, snaking line on Sunday to pay their last respects to the Queen Mother, undeterred by waits of up to 12 hours, as churches across Britain gave thanks for the life of the royal matriarch.
The huge and unexpected demand from the public to say farewell
to the Queen Mother Elizabeth prompted officials to extend the
opening hours of Westminster Hall until dawn on Tuesday - just
hours before the coffin is to be carried in procession to nearby
Westminster Abbey for the funeral service.
Roger and Wendy Wood set off from their home in central England
in the middle of the night to join the line to view the coffin.
"We got here at 04:00 and we don't mind waiting until whatever
time we get in to see the coffin because we want to show our
respect and support for the monarchy," he said.
Officials said about 200 000 people had filed through the hall
by late Sunday, with a further 70 000 people still waiting outside
in a 6.5km queue, undeterred by the prospect of waiting
many hours more.
Ambulance staff warned of cold temperatures again on Sunday night
after the thermometer dropped to 4 C on Saturday, with chill winds whipping off the River Thames. Volunteer
staff served more than 110 000 litres of tea and
coffee to people waiting in the line.
Queen Elizabeth II was expected on Monday to thank all those who
have lined up to pay their respects when she gives a public eulogy
for her mother, who died March 30 at the age of 101. The queen is
due to address the nation in a television broadcast from Windsor
Castle.
Churches
Churches across the country held special services Sunday to
celebrate the life of the Queen Mother.
At St Paul's Cathedral in
London, where the Queen Mother celebrated her 100th birthday,
hundreds of worshippers sang her favourite hymns.
Many Britons loved the Queen Mother, recalling her warm smile
and visits to the bomb-damaged East End of London during World War
II.
"It's very important to be here. The Queen Mother represented
the standards and the qualities of a bygone age," said Steve
Gutteridge (48), one of the waiting mourners.
Prince Andrew
At one point, Prince Andrew - a grandson of the Queen Mother -
and his two daughters, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, visited the
line. All three wore black clothing, but smiled as they talked with
the people.
Prince Andrew was to return to Westminster Hall on Monday with
his brothers princes Charles and Edward and cousin Viscount Linley
to mount a royal vigil at the coffin.
Echoing a similar ceremony for King George V in 1936, the four
grandsons of the Queen Mother were to stand in a silent vigil as
members of the public continue to file past.
Funeral preparations
As the public paid their respects, preparations continued behind
the scenes for Tuesday's funeral service.
At Westminster Abbey, florists were creating displays with more
than
2 000 individual blooms chosen from the Queen Mother's
favourite English flowers.
Scores of lights have been installed in the 13th century
building to enable a television broadcast of the funeral and
security was being checked for the biggest official ceremony in
Britain in several years.
In addition to US first lady Laura Bush and the leaders of
Australia, New Zealand and Canada, kings and queens, princes and
dukes from other royal families around the world will travel to
London for the service.
Prince Charles' longtime companion Camilla Parker Bowles will
also attend, continuing Buckingham Palace's policy of slowly
"normalising" her relationship with the Prince of Wales since the
death of his former wife, Princess Diana.
The Queen Mother's coffin will be carried to the abbey to the
sound of bagpipers and drummers.
The procession will include nine senior royal family members,
led by the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II's husband, who
will walk behind the coffin as it is borne by a gun carriage from
Westminster Hall.
Before the service, the Abbey's Tenor bell will be tolled once a
minute for 101 times in honour of each year of the Queen Mother's
life. - Sapa-AP
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- SAPA