Members of the public have been asked to reconsider bringing their children to the Palace of Westminster as they pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
On Sunday (11 September), the late monarch arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, following a journey from Balmoral on a route lined by crowds of thousands.
According to the government’s schedule, the Queen’s lying in state at Holyrood opens to the public at 5pm today. It will be open until the afternoon of 13 September.
For those who want to pay their respects to the monarch in London, the Queen’s lying in state at the Palace of Westminster will open to the public at 5pm on Wednesday 14 September. It will be open 24 hours a day until it closes at 6.30am on Monday 19 September.
“Please note that there will be a queue, which is expected to be very long,” guidance posted on the government’s website warns. “You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving.
“Large crowds are expected, and there are likely to be delays on public transport and road closures around the area. You should check ahead, plan accordingly and be prepared for long queues.
“Please consider this before you decide to attend or bring children with you.”
At the time when Her Majesty’s coffin arrived at Holyrood on Sunday, it received a guard of honour by the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) as it entered the palace.
King Charles III will lead the royal family in a procession behind the Queen’s coffin on Monday (12 September) to allow the public to pay their respects.
The Queen will be taken from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to nearby St Giles’ Cathedral where her family, and a congregation drawn from all areas of Scottish society, will attend a service of thanksgiving for her life.
The King will lead a number of senior royals on foot, expected to be the Duke of York, Earl of Wessex, Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence – while the Queen Consort and other members of the monarchy will follow in cars.
According to reports, mourners coming to London from across the country to pay their respects to the Queen as she lies in state have been warned there are likely to be exceptionally long queues and wait times.
The Queen’s coffin will lie in state in Westminster Hall from Wednesday (14 September) until the day of her funeral next Monday (19 September).
Initially, it was estimated that 40,000 people a day would turn up to pay their respects but now Whitehall chiefs in charge of logistics for the historic five-night vigil have said that they are expecting millions of people a day.
The government has also set out guidelines on how people should behave when they are paying their respects to the Queen, with guidelines on what to wear inside the Palace of Westminster.
Follow the latest updates following the death of Queen Elizabeth II here
