First mourners pay respects as Queen Elizabeth lies in state

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People who have waited to view the Queen lying in state are due to be let in to Westminster Hall in a few moments time.

The queue along the the Thames is already nearly three miles long, stretching the entire way to London Bridge.

Westminster Hall will soon be open for the public to view the Queen lying in state.

Here's some footage of the line taken a few moments ago:

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Thanks for joining us - here is a brief recap of what has been happening this afternoon:

• The Queen is now lying in state in Westminster Hall in London, and mourners are lining up to enter and pay their respects from 17:00 BST
• Huge queues are expected, and the government earlier warned that people could face 30-hour waits to get in
• The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was transported from Buckingham Palace on a gun carriage in a slow-moving procession which lasted around 38 minutes
• King Charles III, Princes William and Harry, and other senior royals followed on foot behind the coffin
• A short service followed, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, which was attended by senior politicians including Prime Minister Liz Truss and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer

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Dawn Livingstone, on The Mall with six of her family, all from County Tyrone, said the moment the Queen's coffin passed had been sad, sombre and fitting.

"She has left a legacy that will never be paralleled by anyone else.”

Matthew Ferguson, her son-in-law, said he had been lost for words.

“It’s the closest I have ever been to the Queen. It’s been a privilege and an overwhelming experience,” he said.

For his wife, Victoria, 27, it was a moment of racing hearts and deafening silence as the Queen passed.

The family, who left home at 2am, were heading to Westminster Hall to soak up more of the atmosphere before flying home at 10pm.

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The Queen is now lying in state, and thousands turned out to see her final journey from Buckingham Palace.

Crowds at the far end of The Mall fell silent as the sombre thump of the drum echoed out.

Both young and old, who moments earlier had been cheerfully reminiscing about the Queen’s extraordinary life, bowed their heads.

As her coffin passed by there were tears. Some made the sign of the cross, army veterans saluted their former commander-in-chief - while families embraced.

They had seen the Queen - their Queen - the only Queen most had known, leave her home for the final time. Seconds after Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin passed out of sight, thunderous applause broke out, filling the warm London afternoon air.

Hundreds of people lined the streets on the route of the procession, with huge crowds also gathering to watch on large screens in Hyde Park.

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Politicians from across the UK are in Westminster Hall to mark the vigil being held as the Queen's lying-in-state begins.

Prime Minister Liz Truss and Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer are standing side-by-side, dressed in black and looking solemn.

They are joined in the ancient hall by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, as well as the first ministers of Scotland and Wales, Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford.

It was a grey morning in London but now the sun pours through the windows of Westminster Hall.

This great act of ceremony of pageantry and military precision is deeply moving for all involved.

I'm sure you will have spotted a few wiping a tear from their eye this afternoon.

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The Queen is now lying in state in Westminster Hall.

Built in 1097, Westminster Hall has played a significant role in British history for centuries.

King Charles III addressed members of Parliament and peers there on Monday, but it has also hosted the trials of Charles I and Guy Fawkes, Henry VIII's coronation banquet, and speeches by well-known figures such as Nelson Mandela, French President Charles de Gaulle, Pope Benedict, and US President Barack Obama.

The last member of the Royal Family to lie in state at Westminster was the Queen Mother in 2002, when more than 200,000 people queued to file past her coffin and pay their respects.

But it is not only royals who have lain in state in Westminster Hall.

The same honour was extended to former Prime Minister Winston Churchill following his death in 1965 and to the victims of the R101 airship disaster of 1930.

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As the service is over, members of the public will soon be able to pay their respects to the late Queen.

From 17:00 BST, they will be allowed to enter Westminster Hall.

The Queen will lie in state until 06:30 BST on Monday, the day of her funeral, which has been declared a bank holiday across the UK.

During the lying-in-state period, Westminster Hall will be open for 24 hours a day.

The Queen's closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, known as a catafalque, and guarded in a continuous vigil by soldiers from units that serve the Royal Household.

The coffin will be draped with the Royal Standard, and topped with the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre.

Find everything you need to know about visiting Westminster Hall here.

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, leave Westminster Hall shortly after the service finishes.

They are driven through the Palace of Westminster's gates to shouts of "God Save the King" from some of the assembled crowd.

Archbishop Welby offers a blessing to close the short service in Westminster Hall.

Soon afterwards, a sword is tapped firmly on the ground, twice, marking the start of the vigil.

The Queen's coffin is now officially under watch on all sides, before members of the public are allowed to visit a little later to file past the late monarch.

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After many hours of waiting, the queue to see the Queen lying in state is on the move, but very slowly.

We are being called through the barriers in groups of 20 at a time, as we begin the walk across Lambeth Bridge before snaking back around towards Westminster Hall.

A warden has told the crowd: "Just to manage expectations, there will be some waiting. I will be at the front of the queue and I will be moving slowly."

A few moments from Westminster Hall, those at the front of the queue waiting to see the Queen lying in state have begun to cross Lambeth Bridge.

After crossing the river, they will have to walk north to Westminster Hall - where they will be allowed to view the coffin from 17:00.

Following the Archbishop of Canterbury, we hear from the Dean of Westminster, David Hoyle.

He offer further prayers - including the Lord’s Prayer, which is recited by all those present in Westminster Hall.

The choir proceeds to sing a classical motet by Anglican composer Edward Bairstow.