British authorities were forced to take dramatic action and close access to Green Park, the station closest to Buckingham Palace, as crowds of mourners overwhelmed the area on Sunday.
Crowds have gathered outside the Queen’s London residence since news of her deteriorating health broke on Thursday, with numbers increasing after news of her death and then over the weekend. It had grown to what appeared to be the largest crowd yet on Sunday afternoon.
A police officer stationed at the exit of Green Park Metro station confirmed to news.com.au that “too much congestion” had forced them to block access for the second day in a row.
With the Queen’s coffin making its way from Edinburgh to London this week and the nation still in mourning, crowd sizes are expected to continue to grow.
A massive queue estimated to stretch around a kilometer has been winding around Buckingham Palace towards Green Park for days, with mourners queuing to pay their respects to the late monarch.
The pile of flowers has been growing significantly each day, along with written messages, balloons and candles dedicated to the Queen.
Those who flooded the area outside the Palace on Sunday caught glimpses of the new king, with an emotional Charles driving through the mall and waving to crowds as he made his second day of royal duties.
The Queen’s coffin is reportedly due to be moved to London on Tuesday, where it is likely to lie in repose at Buckingham Palace, before it begins at Westminster Hall on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pass the Queen’s coffin to pay their respects over the four-day period.
Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will be held on Monday 19 September at Westminster Abbey at 11am, marking the culmination of ten days of official mourning.