Thousands line up to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II
Thousands of people lined up in London to pay respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II as she was lying in state in Westminster Hall on Wednesday.
The line stretched approximately 2.5 miles and had some people camping out overnight as well as through rainy weather to secure their spots, Reuters reports. The viewing began Wednesday evening and the people in line were warned they may be waiting a considerably long time, potentially around 30 hours, to view the queen, and it may be difficult, especially for those with younger children and medical conditions. The Telegraph reported that those in line may "see some horrible stories about people suffering."
The long wait has brought concerns about violations of the Equality Act, due to potential accessibility issues, even though a separate line was created for those unable to wait for a long time. Kamran Mallick, chief executive of Disability Rights U.K., said despite the separate line, there was "a breathtaking lack of awareness around the needs of disabled people."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
There will be police, stewards, first aid crews, and more than 1,000 volunteers to assist people in the line, along with portable toilets, and adjoining venues providing food around the clock, The Guardian reports.
Despite the potentially grueling wait, many people are enthusiastic about the prospect of paying their respects. Mark Bonser, a 59-year-old waiting to see the queen said "she's given 70 years of her life to us. I'm sure I can give 24 hours of mine."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Trump seeks to end New York's congestion pricing
Speed Read The MTA quickly filed a lawsuit to stop the move
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretary
Speed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffs
Speed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams case
speed read The interim US attorney for the Southern District and five senior Justice Department officials quit following an order to drop the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms Gabbard as intelligence chief
Speed Read The controversial former Democratic lawmaker, now Trump loyalist, was sworn in as director of national intelligence
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published