How can you see the Queen lying in state?

As is tradition, the Queen will lie in state before her funeral on Monday 19 September – allowing members of the public to pay their respects.

As the Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a smaller lying in state will take place first at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh tomorrow.

Afterwards, she will lie in state at Westminster Hall in central London.

The historic occasions are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people.

Here is what we know so far about the plans:

What is lying in state?

Lying in state is when the closed coffin of a sovereign is placed on view, allowing the public to pay their respects before the funeral ceremony.

During this period, the coffin rests on a raised platform – known as a catafalque – and is guarded 24 hours a day.

The coffin is draped in a royal flag and a crown is traditionally placed on top.

The last person to lie in state in the UK was Queen Elizabeth, the Queen’s mother.

An estimated 200,000 people visited Westminster Hall to pay their respects before her funeral on 9 April 2002.

Prince Philip did not lie in state before his funeral on 17 April 2021, a decision which officials said was taken in line with his wishes.

Coronavirus restrictions that were in place at the time also meant mass public gatherings were banned.

Other notable figures can also lie in state as former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill did before his state funeral in 1965.

Where will the Queen lie in state?

Scotland

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The Queen will first lie in state in Edinburgh on Monday 12 September, having died in Scotland last Thursday.

The King and Queen Consort will travel to Edinburgh to join a procession from Holyroodhouse to St Giles’ Cathedral.

Then, at 2.55pm, the coffin will be carried into the cathedral with the Crown of Scotland placed on top.

Mourners will be able to view the coffin at the cathedral from 5pm, with a queuing system in place and strict security checks and restrictions on mobile phones. Photography and recording is strictly prohibited.

Members of the public who wish to pay their respects have been warned they face long waits due to the anticipated demand.

Officials say weather conditions may be challenging and standing for a number of hours should be expected.

It is expected that people in Scotland will be able to see the Queen lying in state for around 24 hours.

On Tuesday 13 September at 5pm, a hearse will take the coffin to Edinburgh airport, arriving at 6pm.

The Princess Royal will fly with the coffin for the 55-minute flight to RAF Northolt as the Queen returns to London.

England

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The Queen will also lie in state at Westminster Hall in central London from Wednesday 14 September.

Traditionally, lying in state begins five days after the day of death – known operationally as D+5.

But as the announcement of the Queen’s death came after 6pm on Thursday evening, plans have been moved by a day to allow more time for arrangements to be made.

The Imperial State Crown and a wreath of flowers will be placed on top of the coffin.

There will first be a ceremonial procession through London, taking in The Mall, Horse Guards, Whitehall, Parliament Square, and New Palace Yard.

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The coffin will arrive at the Palace of Westminster at 3pm where the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service.

The Queen’s lying in state will then begin in Westminster Hall, codenamed Operation Marquee. It will last four full days.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to file past the coffin on its catafalque and pay their respects, just as they did for the Queen Mother’s lying in state in 2002.

Senior royals are also expected to pay their own moving tribute, standing guard at some stage around the coffin – the tradition known as the Vigil of the Princes.

The Queen’s lying in state will end on Sunday 18 September.

How can I see the Queen lying in state?

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The Scottish and UK governments are due to release more details soon on how members of the public can view the coffin at St Giles’ Cathedral and Westminster Hall.

It is expected that, in London, people will have a chance to see the Queen lying in state for 23-hours of the four days she is there.

Thousands of people will queue in the streets for the chance to see the Queen’s coffin and it involves a huge co-ordinated security operation.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said hundreds of extra officers had already been called in as they manage crowds.

Police are expecting a “hugely complex” operation as mourners are expected to queue for several hours, including overnight, to pay their respects to the Queen.

One contingency plan that was considered were the Queen to have died during the pandemic was to introduce ticketing or time slots for the lying in state process.

This is an option which could still be adopted.

The Queen’s state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey at 11am on Monday 19 September, which has now been deemed a bank holiday.

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