Since Wednesday, tens of thousands of Britons have marched to greet their queen for the last time at Westminster Hall. This Sunday, the public has just a few hours left to gather at the coffin before the state funeral on Monday in the presence of leaders from around the world.
Given the considerable waiting time to parade in front of the catafalque (it was announced on Saturday night at 5:00 pm), the line must be closed at the end of the day for newcomers. They will then have until 6:30am Monday morning (7:30am French time) to gather in Westminster Hall, before the doors close for funeral preparations.
Macron expected at the end of the day
For their part, the invited dignitaries and crowned heads begin to arrive in London. US President Joe Biden landed near the capital on Saturday night and is scheduled to collect his thoughts this Sunday at 6:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. French time) in front of the monarch’s remains.
He will then attend a reception hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, an invitation to which Emmanuel Macron also responded. The French president must arrive at the end of the day in the British capital placed under high surveillance.
The BBC will broadcast shortly before 8:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. in Paris) a video message recorded by the new queen consort Camilaof which the first extracts have been revealed.
“Isabel II had wonderful blue eyes that, when she smiled, lit up her entire face. I will always remember her smile. This smile is unforgettable,” she says in this first speech since the monarch’s death on September 8.
A minute of silence at 8 p.m.
In the process, at 8:00 p.m. London time (9:00 p.m. in France), the United Kingdom will stop for a “moment of reflection” in memory of its sovereign with a longevity unprecedented in its history.
The tribute is made to “mourn and reflect on the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II”, evokes Downing Street, according to the BBC.
This minute of silence can be marked “in private, alone or with friends and neighbors (…) or during any locally organized community event and vigil,” said the Prime Minister’s spokesman.
Source: BFM TV
