Queuing to see the queen to the tune of 'Daddy Cool' and 'Disco Inferno'
Members of the public queue to gain access to Green Park in London. Picture: Jacob King/PA Wire
Arriving to Westminster from the direction of Victoria Station, you are effectively starting at the end of The Queue
The walk from Southwark Park, from the opposite direction, to the Palace of Westminster would be the guts of an hour to 90 minutes. But for thousands who’ve made that journey in recent days, they could’ve been queuing for a whole day to reach that destination.
The autumn sun is beaming down but offering little in the way of warmth just after 10am as hundreds quietly file out of that most recognisable of buildings, having waited in the overnight cold to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
That sense of grief they feel is surely mingled with fatigue and tiredness, as some exit the grounds in tears.
Having waited so long, when the time actually arrives to get a look at the queen’s coffin, they feel overcome.
A woman in her 50s with a Scottish accent, who had been queuing for over 19 hours, tells me: “I didn’t know what to expect when I got in. She’s just been there my whole life. She did her duty. It’s still hard to believe she’s gone.” She doesn’t stay to chat. She has to go catch a train home. That’s another five hours, she says.
In Ireland, the show of pomp and solemnity that has accompanied the death of the 96-year-old monarch has been undoubtedly puzzling at times.
It’s ranged from the non-stop coverage on the British news channels, which includes the option of uninterrupted viewing of the scenes in Westminster where the queen’s coffin lies in state, to the baffling decisions made by companies such as Center Parcs, which initially indicated it would be turfing guests out on the day of the funeral even if they were already booked in.
The general mood from The Queue, which is even getting its own weather forecasts from the BBC now, is that the passing of such a totemic figure should be marked in a significant way.
Andrew Goff says he’s been “sucked into it”.
“I didn’t think I’d watch a livestream of people passing by a coffin,” he says. “But I am.
“I’m in awe of people waiting and queuing for so many hours to come across a coffin and to get emotional when they see are. There’s so much emotion because she’s been completely faultless in the way she’s conducted herself her entire life. It’s respect. It’s not just because she’s royalty, it’s because of what she’s done.”
Mr Goff is full of praise for the queen and says the huge turnout is testament to the depth of feeling so many people bear for her around the world.
“Her's was a life dedicated to serving others,” he says.
That’s not to say that The Queue is entirely solemn.
Just over halfway through the queue, near the Blackfriars Bridge, it’s deeply surreal to hear '70s and '80s pop songs play out over a speaker as people file slowly but steadily by the southern bank of the Thames. 'Daddy Cool' by Boney M is followed by 'Disco Inferno' by the Trammps.
At the same time, a couple of violinists are looking to play a few songs nearby. Negotiations take place asking if they can alternate between the disco tunes and the violin every 10 minutes.
A few minutes further along the queue, a Salvation Army stand is set up where a man is handing out free bottles of water and biscuits.
“The bad news is, I’m out of vodka and gin and tonic,” he booms, drawing a laugh from passers-by.
People in The Queue have brought sandwiches, drinks, and chairs. The food stalls are all open along the Southbank, the public toilets are set up, and there’s the occasional bench, offering The Queue sustenance and respite.
It’s not been without incident, either. The London Ambulance Service said today it has cared for 710 people along the route since Wednesday, with 81 people taken to hospital. It is warning people to dress appropriately and follow the advice of authorities.
Entire families, particularly those with young children, are few and far between as parents remain conscious of the extremely long wait to get through The Queue. The ones that have brought their kids are keen to emphasise the historic nature of what they’re witnessing in the last week or so.
Patrick Arnold, from Oxford, came down with his daughter and, rather than join The Queue, they’re handing out sweets to those who have been queuing for a long time.
“We really wanted to be here and do the whole queuing thing,” he said. “We wanted to come and be a part of it.
“My daughter was very keen to come and play a part. If The Queue had been a bit more manageable, she was up for it.”
On the bank outside the British Film Institute, a big screen has been erected to air snippets of the 1953 film , which shows the queen’s coronation. The sight of the crowds, the queues, and the union flags from back then are nearly identical to that on show today.
It actually begins to fracture a small bit between pedestrians and queuers just after the BFI, meaning potential queue-jumpers could shave hours off the estimated current 14-hour queue time. Those who’ve been queuing overnight wouldn't be too impressed, mind.
The good spirits persist as The Queue snakes its way all the way down to Lambeth Bridge, where they’ll cross over and edge closer to their final stop.
Even the new king comes out to greet The Queue with his son Prince William, telling them, “I hope you’re not too cold.”
The ones King Charles is greeting won’t be waiting in the cold tonight, at the very least. They’ll be done while the sun is still shining.
Some have very long journeys home. Others are just a short Tube ride or bus journey away.
Lots of them will line the streets again as the queen makes her last journey on Monday.
A common refrain goes along the lines of “I wouldn’t even be a big fan of the monarchy but...” followed by praise in numerous forms for the late monarch.
That respect — for a monarch who was the only head of state many of them have ever had — is what gave them the drive and stamina to queue for hours this weekend, all for a brief, intimate goodbye.
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