eBay was forced to ban listings on its website for wristbands needed to join the queue to see the Queen lying-in-state after bids for the used bands skyrocketed.
Thousands of mourners joined the queue in London to pay their final respects to the monarch following her death on September 8 at the age of 96. The free wristbands were required to see Her Majesty ’s coffin in Westminster Hall, and allowed members of the public to re-join the queue after leaving to visit the bathroom and get food and drink.
But some later listed their paper wristbands, which displayed a different number and colour for each day of queueing, on the auction site - with bids quickly soaring into the thousands, The Mirror reports . The bands, which were non-transferable and did not guarantee entry to see the Queen’s coffin, received bids for as high as £70,000 according to The Guardian before eBay took action.
READ MORE: 'It's history': North East mourners travel on the first train to London for the Queen's funeral
It’s not yet known whether these bids were genuine, though several listings were seen climbing into the thousands. A spokesperson for eBay said: "These items are against our policies and we are removing them."
According to eBay's policy, tickets to past events such as concerts or sports fixtures are to be sold as memorabilia. However, the sale of tickets to events that are free to the public may be prohibited.
The queue closed to new arrivals on Sunday night , with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport urging people not to attempt to join the line. The lying-in-state period ended at around 6.30am, just four and a half hours before the Queen’s funeral is due to begin.
The announcement had been expected throughout the day on Sunday, as waiting times hit a peak of 14 hours with the queue stretching almost five miles. By 9pm the waiting time was seven hours as the last crowds filed through, with people collecting wristbands for entry at London Bridge.
The last person in the queue paid their respects to the Queen early this morning. Chrissy Heerey, an RAF servicewoman, said it was a "real privilege" to be the last person allowed into Westminster Hall to see Her Majesty’s coffin.
READ NEXT:
-
Sunderland landmarks lit up in purple to honour Queen Elizabeth II
-
Prince George and Princess Charlotte set to walk behind the Queen’s coffin during state funeral
-
When Tesco Express, Sainsbury's Local, Asda and Co-op reopen on Monday after Queen's funeral
-
The Queen: Today's timings for monarch's final journey and funeral services
