Entry to queue to see the Queen paused for at least six hours as capacity is reached

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: People queue to visit the Palace of Westminster where the body of Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state on September 15, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral to allow members of the public to pay their last respects. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

ENTRY TO the queue to see the Queen lying in state has been paused for at least six hours after it reached capacity.

The current waiting time is advised as being 14 hours and is 4.9 miles long, stretching to Southwark Park.

The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport tweeted to to announced the pausing of entry to the queue, saying it is sorry for any inconvenience.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S LYING-IN-STATE QUEUE UPDATE, 09:50 AM, 16 Sept

Southwark Park has reached capacity. Entry will be paused for at least 6 hours. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

Please do not attempt to join the queue until it re-opens.

Check back for further updates pic.twitter.com/XMpyhOrme7

— Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) September 16, 2022

"Please do not attempt to join the queue until it re-opens."

For most of the night the line was nearly five miles long, with Southwark listed as the nearest landmark.

By 8.15am it had reached 4.9 miles (7.9km) long.

Firefighters gave out bottles of water along the route while volunteers from the Samaritans were available and stewards, police and portable toilets lined the route.

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