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Linda Partridge, 71, and Simon Hopkins, 59, came down from the West Midlands to lie to the state, despite warnings the queue was closed, because they felt they “have to come down”.
Mrs Partridge, who had left home at 3am, told PA on Saturday morning: “Even though they said it was closed, I felt the urge to come down.
“If we got here and then they left, that’s fine. I would have just felt that I had to come and then I would have been told that I couldn’t go.”
Hopkins added: “Maybe there was a feeling of ‘best not to travel’ but just make the trip and check it out, and you know, if it ended up being a disappointment, then so be it.”
He likened the experience to a “pilgrimage,” which he said “is a little weird because that goes against it.”
“I’ve been kind of drawn to it,” he added.
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Officials reopen the queue
The Queen’s queue has reopened in the state, but officials have warned the waiting time is 24 hours.
The huge line is now accessible via Southwark Park.
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A brain tumor patient “broke down in tears” opening one of the Queen’s last letters
A brain tumor patient said he is “still in shock” after receiving one of the Queen’s last letters before her death.
Kerri Parker, 38, has raised more than £16,000 for UK medical charity Brain Tumor Research and wrote to the Queen to thank her after attending a platinum jubilee garden party in Buckingham Palace in July.
Ms Parker, who was also crowned Ms Universe World International in Miami last month, said it “broke my heart a bit” to receive a reply from the monarch dated September 5, just three days before the Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire.
“I can’t believe it – my name and what I’ve done for brain tumor research was one of the last things I would have seen, correspondence-wise,” said Mrs Parker, from Norwich , in the AP. news agency
“Someone of this stature, I haven’t (just) seen my name, but to see what I’ve achieved with brain tumor research is absolutely remarkable.
“It’s such a wonderful tribute and it must have been one of his last letters… It’s a bit of history, something I’ll treasure that broke my heart a bit.
“I’m still in shock, it’s crazy.”
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A man arrested after approaching the Queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall
A man is in police custody after reports of someone climbing the steps of the hearse and touching the coffin.
The Metropolitan Police were said to have rushed to arrest the man shortly before 10pm last night, hours after members of the royal family held a vigil.
A statement from Scotland Yard said: “At around 10pm on Friday 16 September, officers from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command arrested a man in Westminster Hall following a disturbance.
“He was arrested for an offense under the Public Order Act and is currently in custody.”
A spokesman for the UK parliament added: “We are aware of an incident at Westminster Hall, where a member of the public stepped out of the queue towards the Catafalque.
“They have now been removed from the room and the queue has restarted with minimal disruption.”
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The Queen spoke of her love for her horses ‘to the end’
The Queen was in “tremendous form” before she died and spoke of “her love for her horses right up to the end”, according to her trusted racing and bloodstock adviser.
John Warren features in one of the most replayed TV clips of the past week, as the Queen cheered and cheered as her horse Estimate claimed victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013, the first time in 207 years of race history that had been won by a reigning monarch.
Warren said he spent the weekend before the Queen’s death in Scotland, talking about her horses, as they had done so many times before.
“We stayed there for hours over the weekend strategizing and making plans for the future,” he said.
“And I think the most beautiful thing for me is knowing that she was surrounded by her family members.
“She was in such healthy spirits and in tremendous shape.
“It’s very important to know that she was absolutely, wonderfully active.”
Warren said the Queen had seen many of the King and Queen Consort, who were also in Scotland, and was enjoying having different family groups staying at Balmoral.
“She loved having them right there with her and being able to talk about her horses and her love for her horses until the very end,” he said.
“I dropped her off on Monday afternoon, the premiers were coming in on Tuesday, she had a winner on Tuesday.
“She was in great form on Tuesday evening, delighted to have had a winner and talked about Prime Ministers coming in and out, and I can hardly believe that in less than 48 hours the Queen has died.”
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The Queen’s grandchildren keep vigil at her coffin
The Queen’s eight grandchildren, including Princes William and Harry, will hold another vigil at Westminster Hall tonight.
The Prince of Wales will stand at the head, the Duke of Sussex at the feet. At the King’s request, both will be in uniform.
The other grandchildren will be in morning dresses and dark formal dresses with decorations.
William will be flanked by his cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Philips, children of the Princess Royal; while Harry will be with the Duke of York’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
It follows reports that the Duke of Sussex has been given permission to wear his military uniform to the vigil after Palace officials intervened on his behalf.
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Truss will meet world leaders ahead of Queen’s funeral
Liz Truss is set to hold meetings with world leaders as they travel to the UK for the Queen’s funeral.
The Prime Minister will speak to his New Zealand and Australian counterparts on Saturday, with the talks framed by Number 10 as talks rather than formal bilateral meetings.
Downing Street suggested they would be an opportunity to offer condolences for the Queen’s death, with the possibility that politics would emerge.
The first meeting is at the government’s Chevening country residence, instead of Chequers, which is said to be carrying out routine maintenance work following Boris Johnson’s departure.
Truss will meet New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian leader Anthony Albanese on Saturday.
Ms Ardern has said the Queen’s death and the new king will be the “focus of the conversation”, with the pair also likely to discuss Ukraine and the UK’s free trade deal with New Zealand.
But it will all be “in the context of the week of mourning that the UK is currently in”.
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The crowd urged not to join the queue to be in the state
Officials are asking people not to travel to join the queue which is close to capacity, with waiting times of at least 24 hours.
The government tracker urges people to check for updates.
However, people were still seen queuing early on Saturday.