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“You’re not far off getting there,” Charles told those close to Lambeth Bridge in South London. “Hope you didn’t get frozen last night,” he added, according to a BBC report.
Hardy Brits have been braving dropping temperatures and standing huddled through the night — with wait times up to 20 hours — to pay their last respects to the queen.
Hundreds in the queue have been treated by paramedics — with cold nighttime temperatures being the “main challenge,” according to St John Ambulance, a medical group.
William stayed with the crowds longer than his father, pausing to chat to a young boy who said he’d been there with his family since 10:30 the night before. “You’re doing an amazing job,” the heir-to-the-throne told him, adding that he was “nearly there.”
The crowds were heard chanting “William, William,” as he spoke of how impressed he was with the public outpouring and commitment to their longest-reigning monarch. The queen “would never believe this, honestly. It’s amazing,” he said, according to Britain’s Sky News.
Members of the public looked elated as they took photos and chanted “God save the King.” Charles accepted gifts and notes as one individual shouted out: “It’s worth the wait!”
Soccer star David Beckham made headlines when he joined the line earlier in the week, while others including Olympic champion Kelly Holmes have also taken part in what has become a national spectacle — complete with its own Twitter handle and dozens of online parodies — affectionately dubbed “The Queue.”
As of Saturday afternoon, the wait time was 16.5 hours, according to the official government tracker, the line snaking from Westminster along the River Thames to Southwark Park, a more than 60-acre public space in southeast London. A day earlier the line had to be temporarily closed because of the number of people.
Toilet and tea breaks are permitted once people reach the point where numbered wristbands are issued. First aid and faith services are also on-hand as well as safety volunteers overseeing the mammoth line.
The Washington Post’s Karla Adam joined the queue for more than seven hours on Wednesday into Thursday. As she wrote, waiting patiently in long lines is a uniquely British cultural skill with its own set of rules.
The queen is currently lying in state in Westminster Hall, where the public has until 6:30 a.m. Monday to file past — those who cannot attend (or face the long lines) can watch a 24-hour live stream. An online book of condolences is available for personal messages.
King Charles and his siblings, all clad in military uniform, briefly stood vigil by their mother’s coffin late Friday. William and Harry are expected to do so later Saturday.
Elizabeth’s closed coffin rests on a raised platform, which is called a catafalque, and is draped with the Royal Standard, along with the Imperial State Crown, orb and scepter.
At 11 a.m. Monday, her state funeral, to attended by the royal family and world figures and watched by millions globally, will begin.
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