UK: Eight grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth gathered near the coffin of US President Joe Biden on Saturday as US President Joe Biden flew in ahead of the funeral of Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
King Charles' sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, stood guard around the crowned coffin at Westminster Hall in London, as members of the public entered the catacombs after waiting several hours.
The grandchildren of the queen, aged 44 to 14, stood silently with their eyes down.
Harry, who served in the British Army for two tours in Afghanistan, wore the uniform of the Blues and Royals Cavalry Regiment.
Harry and his wife Meghan, who are now living in California, pointed out King Charles' latest olive branch for their youngest son after the royal family was accused of racism.
Harry, 38, was stripped of his high-ranking honorary military titles because he was no longer a working royal. His only appearance in military uniform would be vigil on royal ceremonial occasions.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Princess Anne's children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, and Prince Edward's children Louise and James stood quietly around their grandmother's coffin.
Sophie, Edward's wife, looked distraught as she watched their children, aged 18 and 14, face the most difficult public duty they had ever faced.
The personal grief of the Queen's family has been highlighted internationally.
Just before the chowder, Beatrice and Eugenie paid an emotional tribute to "our dearest Granny."
"We, like many others, assumed that you would be here indefinitely," the sisters said in a statement. "And we all miss you dearly." You were our parents, our guide, our loving hand on our shoulders as we navigated this world... For the moment, dear Granny, we just want to say thank you. ,
They also added: "We're so glad you're back with Grandpa," she said of her late husband Prince Philip, who died last year at the age of 99.
The vigil came just hours after King Charles and his successor William went on a London walkout to thank those who had waited all night to pay their respects.
William's Twitter account later wrote, "It means you are all here."
After a record-breaking 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth died on September 8 at the age of 96, causing a flood of emotions.
Thousands of people have been queuing for more than 25 hours to pass by his flag-draped coffin.
The royal visit delighted the mourners who had endured a cold night.
As the royals thanked the well-wishers, the crowd on the banks of the river was raising slogans of "Lord save the king".
“I am very happy.” “He was very calm and friendly and gentle,” said Geraldine Potts-Ahmed, a secretary in her late 50s, as she kept her emotions under control after shaking hands with King Charles. struggled to keep up.
"He would make the best king." "I saw the queen in her tenderness and tenderness."
According to the London Ambulance Service, 435 people in the queue required medical attention, most of whom suffered head injuries after fainting.
After paying her last respects, Alison Witham, a former nurse from Ashby in the English Midlands, said her 14-hour wait was worth it.
"It was very dynamic, very dignified and blissfully calm," said the 54-year-old.
"It was great to be able to just focus while not holding the phone near anyone."
The queue was estimated to be at least 17 hours long at 10:30 pm. (2130 GMT) Saturday.
The public can view the coffin until 6:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) on Monday, before the Queen is honored with Britain's first state funeral in nearly six decades.
King Charles is now the head of state of 15 countries, and he later met with five of his prime ministers who had come for the funeral.
He met Canada's Justin Trudeau, Australia's Anthony Albanese, New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern and the Bahamas' Philip Davis at Buckingham Palace.
He also met Andrew Holness of Jamaica, who described the late Queen Elizabeth II as a "deeply beloved monarch".
"Queen Elizabeth's death heralds a new era for the United Kingdom and the rest of the world, who have known only one Head of State for 70 years," he wrote on Twitter.
"His legacy is vast, and his impact on the world will be discussed for a long time."
After signing the book of condolence, Trudeau said that Queen Elizabeth "served for the rest of her life, and carried out her duties with impeccable grace."
Biden is expected to sign the book at Westminster Hall on Sunday before attending a reception for the dignitaries hosted by Charles.
Police prepare for Monday's funeral in Britain's biggest security operation ever.
The Metropolitan Police chief, Mark Rowley, described the operation as a "monumental policing operation that will culminate in us deploying the most officers in the Met's history for a pre-planned event."
Mourners have already begun to camp out in central London in order to catch a glimpse of the funeral procession.
"I went to Princess Diana's funeral as a teenager, and the atmosphere was incredible," said Magdalena Staples, 38, who was camping outside Westminster Hall with her two children, ages nine and ten.
"I wanted my children to have the same experience that I did." We'll be camping for three nights and will have hot clothes, snacks, a mattress, and toilets nearby," she added.
The funeral service at Westminster Abbey, which will be broadcast to billions around the world, will feature 142 sailors pulling the gun-carriage carrying her lead-lined coffin.
More than 2,000 people are expected to attend, but leaders from countries at odds with the UK, such as Russia, Belarus, and Afghanistan, have been excluded.
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