King Charles led a vigil around the Queen’s coffin on Friday as she continues to lie in state at Westminster Hall.
All of the late monarch’s children – the King, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, and the Earl of Wessex – were in attendance during the 15-minute event, which saw them silently stand guard at all four corners of their mother’s catafalque.
The four were dressed in uniform and looked sombre, with Andrew, who is no longer a working royal, afforded an exception in order to wear his military uniform as a "special mark of respect" for the Queen.
Some members of the public also witnessed the vigil. The queue to see the Queen lying in state reached 24 hours at around 5pm on Friday, which fell to 22 hours by the evening.
The King spoke of his deep affection for Wales during a visit earlier on Friday as he handed his princedom to William.
In a speech to the Senedd in Cardiff, delivered partly in Welsh, the King said that Wales "could not have been closer" to the heart of his mother.
The new monarch proceeded to meet with faith leaders and spoke of his "duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for faith itself".
The monarch was responding to a motion of condolence offered by Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales, who had said the late Queen’s reign was “unrivalled in its length and its reach”.
Friday’s vigil came ahead of a separate vigil to be held by the Queen’s grandchildren, to be held on Saturday.
William, the Prince of Wales, said during a visit to an army training facility in Surrey that Her Majesty would be "looking down" on her funeral service on Monday.
Some of the most moving scenes since the passing of the Queen saw all four of her children pay their respects at a silent vigil in Westminster Hall.
The vigil, which was streamed live by television cameras as members of the public attending the lying in state continued to file past, came as a public tribute from the King, the Princess Royal, the Earl of Wessex and the Duke of York.
Earlier in the day, the new King visited Wales and reaffirmed his gratitude for his time serving as the Prince of Wales.
Meanwhile William, the new Prince of Wales, said the Queen would be "looking down" on her funeral on Monday.
Emperor Naruhito of Japan will be among hundreds of foreign dignitaries taken by bus to Westminster Abbey for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, writes Ben Riley-Smith.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is laying on collective transport for almost all of those attending in an attempt to control timings and keep the event secure.
It means that scores of the most important political and royal figures in their respective countries will have to share transport to reach the service for the late Queen.
Sources familiar with the plans suggested that high-end coaches will be used for moving dignitaries to and from the service.
The story of one of the largest diplomatic events for years
The 194 hours since Buckingham Palace confirmed the death of the Queen have constituted a roller coaster of emotions.
But the scene just now, as three sons and a daughter paid public tributes to their mother, was among the most moving by some distance.
It was at times difficult to watch this raw expression of private grief, with the King looking visibly tired having been in Wales and then meeting faith leaders at the Palace just a handful of hours earlier.
That members of the public, some of whom have queued for the best part of a day, continued to file past as they stood guard spoke to the unique imprint of Her Majesty on this nation during her 70-year reign.
King Charles and the other Royals stepped down away from the coffin, before walking out of the Hall in the same diamond formation.
There ends one of the most emotionally-charged moments since the passing of Her Majesty one week yesterday.
… as the King, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex continue to stand guard.
Members of the public continue to pass by as they pay their own private respects to the woman who, for the last 70 years, came to define so much of what was great about Britain.
Here, they are pictured as they arrived at the Palace.
The King, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex walked in a diamond formation towards the catafalque of their late mother, the Princess Royal walking with a stick.
They proceeded to stand at all four corners of the coffin, making a public vigil representative of their private grief.
The four members of the party walked up the steps before turning their back on the coffin as they join those guarding it.
Hundreds of mourners have trickled past the coffin in the past few minutes, as we await the arrival of the Royal party.
The officers are currently waiting to see when the Royal party is ready.
The Orb and Sceptre, which the Queen carried on her coronation, has been reunited with the late monarch in her passing.
His Majesty, with a motorcade in tow, has made it through the gates of the Palace of Westminster, to great applause from those waiting at the front of the 22-hour queue.
Four officers of the Welsh Guard are currently marking the corners of the catafalque, waiting for the Royal arrivals.
The King has left Buckingham Palace to rapturous cheers from those gathered outside as he makes his way to Westminster Hall.
The King and the Queen’s other children will arrive at the Palace of Westminster Hall "shortly" for a vigil, Sky News is reporting.
Earlier, the King told faith leaders after a meeting: "I’ve always thought of Britain as a community of communities, that has led me to understand that the sovereign has an additional duty, less formally recognised, but to be known as diligently discharged.
"It is the duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for faith itself.
"I am determined as King to preserve and promote those principles across all communities, and for all beliefs with all my heart."
Camilla Tominey returned from Westminster Hall this evening, where tearful mourners continue to file past Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin.
The beautiful lighting inside – punctuated by the scarlet uniforms of the guardsmen, truly takes your breath away.
People from all backgrounds – young and old – continue to patiently pay their respects, after queuing for hours in recognition of a life sacrificed in the service of others.
Professionals in suits mingled with people wearing walking clothes – and even one man dressed in full motorcycle leathers, many wiping away tears as they nodded their heads in silent prayer.
One woman blew a kiss; a soldier covered in medals saluted; a child simply stood there and waved goodbye.
The ever-present Royal Standard, adorned with the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre seemed to act as a poignant reminder of the constancy of our late monarch.
What an honour and privilege it was to be there.
Mourners will be able to sleep in trains overnight in order to provide additional capacity, it has been confirmed.
Southeastern Railway said in a tweet: "At Charing Cross and Victoria, empty trains will be available overnight to provide additional seating if you have a lengthy wait until the first train.
"Please speak to one of the team at the station for more details."
The King is to lead a vigil attended by all of the Queen’s children as they gather in Westminster Hall, at around 7.15pm.
It comes ahead of a separate vigil to be held by the Queen’s grandchildren tomorrow.
Earlier today, William, the Prince of Wales, said she would be "looking down" on her funeral service on Monday.
The late Queen’s traditional values continue to be revered whilst self-pity and attention-seeking are rightly rejected by the public, writes Steven Edginton.
The historian and author Simon Heffer joins him to discuss the Elizabethan age in the latest Off Script podcast.
Watch the full episode here, or listen on your podcast app by searching "Off Script".
The Earl of Wessex has said the Royal family had been "overwhelmed by the tide of emotion" since his mother died.
He said the death of Queen Elizabeth II last Thursday had left "an unimaginable void in all our lives" as he thanked the public for its support.
It came as the Earl and Countess of Wessex received a warm welcome during an unannounced walkabout in Windsor, where they viewed the sea of flowers and tributes to the Queen.
The couple spoke to stewards and Crown Estate staff before laying blooms given to them by members of the crowd outside the castle.
An LGBT choir founder network has hailed the "wonderful privilege" of being invited to the Queen’s state funeral.
Dr Hsien Chew MBE, who received his honour in June, said she had been "taken aback" to receive an invite from the Cabinet Office to attend.
"Obviously it’s an incredible privilege and I am really flattered to be a part of this and to be able to experience what is a really unique period in history," he added.
"This is one of those moments in time which you know you are going to remember forever and often you have to think back to other important moments that took place in Westminster Abbey and where you were at the time when that happened.
"And most of these I’ve only ever watched on TV or heard described whereas I am actually going to be there for the first time, which I think is a wonderful privilege."
A veteran made an MBE in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours got a call out of the blue inviting him to the monarch’s funeral.
Robert Lodge, of Weeley Heath in Essex, said a "lady from the Cabinet Office rang me and explained that they wanted some recent recipients of the MBE to attend".
Mr Lodge, who joined the Army as an 18-year-old gunner and rose to the rank of captain in 27 years of service, was honoured for his work with the Red Cypher charity.
He met the Queen in Germany in 1984 when she visited a gunner parade in Dortmund.
Read the full story of the surprise call
The Queen’s final journey – a 25 mile drive to Windsor Castle – will give millions of well-wishers a final chance to say goodbye.
The funeral cortege will avoid motorways and instead travel along ‘A’ roads to Windsor for the committal service followed by private burial.
That will allow crowds the chance to line the route and watch the state hearse, made specially for her, as it drives past at a sedate speed of about 12 miles per hour.
A Buckingham Palace source said: "The route to Windsor is planned with the public in mind."
This is the route the hearse will take
A talented Ugandan-born mathematician who helped correct a problem the Royal Navy encountered with its torpedoes during the Falklands War before working for the National Grid for 25 years, said he wanted to thank Britain for offering him a better life as he joined the 14-hour queue, writes Berny Torre.
Walking with a stick and wearing his Navy tie with pride, 64-year-old dad-of-two Yogesh Nakarja said he was born into poverty before moving to the UK aged 12.
"I’ve had so many opportunities and you have got to thank the people who did all for you. I want to give back,” said Yogesh, of north London, who came top in Uganda for mathematics, adding: “I said to my wife I’ll be back before 6.30am on Monday."
Yogesh explained after he emigrated, his numerical talents allowed him to go to university and gain a mathematics degree, before he worked for the Navy for five years, developing its Tiger Fish torpedo guidance systems.
"I worked on torpedoes- that was my first job just after the Falklands War. Although we won the war, our torpedoes against Argentina – they didn’t do as well as were expected so they wanted to enhance them."
He explained he wasn’t a member of the Navy but had to swear the path of allegiance to the Queen and country.
Prince William told soldiers he thought the Queen would be "looking down on Monday, hoping it all goes well".
He made the remarks while speaking to New Zealand soldiers who have been seconded especially for his grandmother’s funeral on Monday.
Corporal Greg Gifford, 31, of the Royal New Zealand Infantry, told the PA news agency: "Prince William said the Queen would be looking down and studying the the details of the soldiers and the precision of the drill, which he said she really used to like.
"It is such an enormous honour to be here. William and Kate are wonderful, so interested in us and we’re thanking us for coming over for the occasion. My mother will be watching on television and crying with pride."
After entry was halted earlier today, officials are now at pains to emphasise the queue could be stopped again.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport warned on Twitter: "The queue may be paused again if it reaches capacity."
While Britons are now able to join once again, they will effectively be waiting for a whole day (24 hours or more).
The queue for the Queen’s lying-in-state has reopened – but mourners have been warned they face a 24-hour wait.
An update from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) just after 5pm confirmed it had reopened after it was closed off at Southwark Park this morning.
"Entry to the queue has resumed," DCMS said. "Expected queuing time is over 24 hours.
"Overnight temperatures will be cold."
As a family, we have grown up learning to share our parents, especially our beloved mama, with the nation, her realms and the Commonwealth. While it has been lovely to have spent time saying our own farewell privately at Balmoral, it is now time to allow others to be able to say their farewell.
We have been overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect to such a very special and unique person who was always there for us. And now, we are there for her, united in grief. Thank you for your support, you have no idea how much it means.
The Queen’s passing has left an unimaginable void in all our lives. Sophie and I have taken huge pleasure in seeing our James and Louise enjoying the places and activities that their grandparents loved so much. Given that my mama let us spend so much time with her, I think she also rather enjoyed watching those passions blossom.
Those times together, those happy memories, have now become massively precious to each and every one of us. May God bless Her Majesty and may her memory be long cherished even as the baton she has carried for these past 70 years now passes to the next generation and to my brother, Charles. Long live the King.
Two fathers were on duty with their sons guarding the Queen’s coffin in the same ceremonial watch in Westminster Hall on Friday afternoon, in what is believed to be a historic first, writes Christopher Hope, our Associate Editor.
Colonel Peter MacMullen, 53, Lieutenant George MacMullen, 24 from the Irish Guards were part of the 30-strong watch with Captain Richard Trant, 26, also from the Irish Guards, and Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Richard Trant, 56, one of the Gentlemen at Arms who formally served with the Queen’s Royal Lancers.
Col MacMullen said it had been "mostly luck and chance" that the two pairs of fathers and sons had been among the 30 soldiers on the same watch over the coffin, draped in the royal standard, in the Parliament’s Westminster Hall. The watch was divided into details, which each stood on duty for 20 minutes in the Hall every hour.
Col MacMullen, who had been the officer in charge of one detail while his son George stood on the catafalque, told The Daily Telegraph: "When you are on the catafalque you can’t see much, you are really concentrating on looking down so you don’t really notice.
"As officer in charge of the watch I stood up on the balcony and gave the commands, then you see the full panoply of everyone coming past and you can really take it in. It was quite extraordinary."
The Prince and Princess of Wales contrasted the emotions associated with Monday’s funeral with the joyous revelry of the Platinum Jubilee just three short months ago.
William described the "highs and lows" of both occasions, while Kate said it had been was "very strange" to deal with such different events "within such a small space of time".
The Princess of Wales, who appeared visibly tired, spoke to the soldiers about coping with a lack of sleep amid their long days and nights preparing for their roles.
Maxine McDonnell, 69, is among those unfazed by the current 14-hour queue to see the Queen lying in state.
"Fourteen is my lucky number," Ms McDonnell told the PA news agency, as she joined the queue – the back of which remains at Southwark Park. "My birthday is the 14th.
"I’m a real royalist. I’m proud to be British, and I was born the coronation year."
She showed off her Union flag-design watch, as a friend joked they would drink a Dubonnet gin – which the late Queen was reportedly fond of – as they made their way to the Palace of Westminster.
Ms McDonnell, of Fleet, Hampshire, said: "Fourteen is my lucky number. My birthday is the 14th.
Ambulances have attended to hundreds of people fainting and collapsing in queues for the late Queen, the NHS has said, writes Laura Donnelly, our Health Editor.
The ambulance service said it and partner agencies had cared for 435 patients who fell ill along the lying-in-state queuing route and surrounding areas by the end of yesterday.
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has drawn up plans to deploy an extra 300 staff on the day of the state funeral, with pressures expected to mount. The public has been urged to "use the service wisely" – reserving 999 for serious emergencies, as crowds rise over the weekend.
The lying-in-state opened at 5pm on Wednesday, when 291 patients required help from paramedics, of whom 17 were taken to hospital, the LAS said.
On Thursday a further 144 people fell ill, of whom 25 went to hospital, the trust said. The ambulance services said the majority of the incidents attended were faints and collapses, some of which resulted in head injuries.
The DCMS live queue tracker – being watched on YouTube by more than 8,000 people – continues to warn people the queue is at full capacity.
"Please do not attempt to join until it resumes," DCMS warns would-be visitors, and encourages them to check back for further updates.
Two women were allegedly sexually assaulted in the queue to attend the Queen’s lying in state, a court has heard.
Adio Adeshine, 19, allegedly exposed himself and pushed into the mourners from behind as they waited in line at Victoria Tower Gardens on Wednesday evening, shortly after Westminster Hall opened its doors to the public.
He is said to have gone into the Thames in an attempt to evade police officers before coming out and being arrested.
Adeshine, who was remanded in custody on Friday after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
A security guard has described the "very stressful" conditions at Southwark Park, Berny Torre reports from the scene.
He said a gate exit near the queue had been closed to the public after a man in line verbally abused him for letting a member of the public through it.
The person seemed to have mistaken the gesture as the guard allowing someone to queue jump.
The guard said: "He jumped over the barrier and came to me saying I have from north England and why I let him through. He called me a d—head. It was earlier when the queue was very full.
"So now we keep it closed. A cyclist came saying he was going to work and he was angry with me. It is very stressful."
He was not one of the first lance corporals King Charles would have expected to meet during his reign.
But Shenkin – the traditional goat mascot for the Royal Welsh – had the pleasure of meeting the monarch during his visit to Cardiff Castle.
A mascot for the Regimental Mascot of 3rd Battalion the Royal Welsh, Shenkin also took part in the Proclamation of Charles III at the Castle on Sunday.
Remarkably, Shenkin – the fourth of his name – has been promoted to the point that he now outranks a number of soldiers and the goat mascots have even received salaries in the past before, which go towards accommodation, food and uniform.
While a previous Royal Welsh goat was even given up to two cigarettes a day as part of its feed, this no longer happens. But what he lacks in a nicotine fix, Shenkin more than makes up for with his own official Twitter account.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have arrived at Army Training Centre (ATC) Pirbright in Surrey.
They will be meeting Commonwealth troops set to participate in the Queen’s state funeral.
Joining the 14-hour queue this afternoon is Phil Ridley, 30, a reserve member of the elite Westminster Abbey Company of Ringers, along with his wife Hannah, 29, reports Berny Torre.
"Excited" and looking forward to paying his respects to the late Queen in the early hours of tomorrow, he is also gearing himself up for her state funeral on Monday, when he will be ready to step in to play a specially-chosen three-and-a-half hour song to sound after the service at 1.15pm.
Phil, who lives near Hampton Court, south west London, joined the "very competitive" company by invitation having rang bells from the age of 11.
After the service ends, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin will be transported to Westminster Abbey on the state gun carriage and a procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, with King Charles leading members of the royal family walking behind the gun carriage.
Phil will be on call to step in should one of the ringers falls ill from 8am that morning, to pass through the stringent security checks.
Having queued since around 2am, David Beckham finally reached Westminster Hall and bowed to the Queen’s catafalque.
The visibly emotional former England captain was pictured on Sky News as he paid his respects to Her Majesty.
China has suggested the UK is guilty of failing to show “proper manners to guests” amid reports that a Chinese government delegation will not be allowed to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state in Parliament.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, has reportedly imposed a ban on Beijing representatives entering Westminster Hall to pay their respects.
Both the BBC and Politico reported Sir Lindsay had refused a request for access amid a long-running dispute between Parliament and the Chinese government over the sanctioning of MPs.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said they had not yet seen the report but said as hosts the UK "should uphold diplomatic protocols".
Jack Maidment, our Politics Live Blog Editor, has the story
Echoes of the Queen’s 70 years on the throne have reverberated throughout the country in the past week.
And King Charles’s first visit to the Senedd was no exception as he thanked Welsh parliamentarians for having "so movingly paid tribute to our late sovereign, my beloved mother, the Queen".
"Diolch o galon" King Charles told the Senedd – which means "thank you from the bottom of my heart" in Welsh.
The same words were used by Elizabeth II during her final trip to Wales last year.
The Prince of Wales should be willing to use the Welsh language but "nobody is expecting miracles", the First Minister of Wales has said.
Mark Drakeford said that while the Welsh people were not anticipating a "suddenly acquired fluency" in Welsh, an ability to use the language "at the margins" would be appreciated by the public.
He also suggested that Prince William would follow in his father’s footsteps by assiduously studying the country and the issues it faces today, ahead of what is expected to be a scaled-back investiture ceremony.
The Labour politician revealed that the heir to the throne had told him that he wanted to take his new responsibilities on slowly so that he could ensure his knowledge of Wales and the issues facing it were "fully established".
Read more: Drakeford hints at ‘very different’ investiture for William
It began as a clear sunny day as people joined an orderly queue to the late Queen at Southwark Park, writes Berny Torre. The happy smiling faces turned to a slight panic – not least from members of the security – after a pause to people being admitted into the park was announced by the government.
With no mention of any pause by officials in the park, thousands continued to stream in for another three hours before one of the entrances to the queue was shut. Those who just made it past the cutoff at 11.50am spoke of their relief at not being among the disappointed faces being told to come back in four hours.
But now delayed by three hours, the DCMS warning of a six-hour pause was cancelled within 30 minutes. In the confusion, security told press cameramen to stop taking pictures as the happy smiling faces returned to the crowds.
Instinctively, I took my phone out to film the baffling request and asked the member of security why he had done so.
As I paced to rejoin the queues I was physically stopped by members of his team demanding I delete the footage or leave the park, which I of course refused. It seemed telling them I was simply a journalist at work in a public space wasn’t enough and I was frogmarched out of the area.
pic.twitter.com/Dq5fvzqswW
Asked why, the apparent head of the Sword security team replied it was “rude” to take footage without consent.
Like a scene outside a club I continued to engage with my bouncer, asking if he was now acting as the “rude police” to which he said he was ejecting me “because I can”.
“So it’s a power trip?”“No, if it was a power trip you would be on the floor,” came the reply.
I finally realised I wasn’t getting in this club, and when the cameraman I was with turned up to challenge this, he too was barred “by proxy”. It’s annoying of course, but the smiling faces are back and the sun is still out.
David Beckham paid tribute to the Queen as he gave a television interview during the lying in state queue.
"Every time that we stood there when we wore those Three Lion shirts and I had my armband and we sang ‘God Save Our Queen’, that was something that meant so much to us," the former England captain told ITV News.
"So this day was always going to be difficult, and it’s difficult for the nation, it’s difficult for everyone around the world, because I think everyone is feeling it, and our thoughts are with the family and obviously with everybody here today.
"Because it’s special to be here, to celebrate, and to hear the different stories that people have to say. I thought by coming at 2am, it was going to be a little bit quieter – I was wrong."
King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, received a Motion of Condolence from Llywydd Elin Jones, the presiding officer at the Welsh Senedd.
The Royal couple then took part in a walkabout as they greeted well-wishers, and despite pockets of booing from a small number of protesters these cries were soon drowned out by rousing renditions of ‘God Save the King’.
What a remarkable sight outside the Palace of Westminster in the past few minutes:
Our Associate Editor Christopher Hope has just watching 100 Chelsea pensioners leaving Westminster Hall after the lying in state, all wearing their tricorn hats and white gloves.
And as the below video shows, it is quite a sight:
The Chelsea Pensioners queuing to get into Westminster Hall #TheQueue #QueenElizabethII pic.twitter.com/RhZep9azuo
King Charles has told of the "immense gratitude" he felt as Prince of Wales.
The King was created Prince of Wales – a title that has now passed to Prince William – in 1958, and he was invested as Prince of Wales some 11 years later in 1969.
He said: "I take up my new duties with immense gratitude for the privilege of having been able to serve as Prince of Wales.
"That ancient title dating from the time of those great Welsh rulers… I now pass to my son William whose love for this corner of the Earth is made all the greater by the years he himself has spent here."
The King and Queen Consort have arrived at Cardiff Castle to cheers and flag waving from an adoring crowd.
The Band of the Royal Welsh played the national anthem as the couple made their way to the front of the castle – with military goat Lance Corporal Shenkin IV stationed at the front.
After cries of "God save the King", Charles smiled and waved before heading into the castle for an audience with First Minister Mark Drakeford.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s wife is expected to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday without the Ukrainian president.
Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, will be among a host of world leaders, including Joe Biden and dozens of royals from around the world, at the state funeral at Westminster Abbey, according to The Sun newspaper.
President Zelensky himself is not believed to be travelling with his wife – he will remain in Ukraine as the war against Vladimir Putin’s invading forces continues.
Instead, Mrs Zelenska will fly over to the UK this weekend to represent her husband and her country, The Sun reported.
In the royal Rolls Royce, the King and Queen arrived at the castle in the centre of the Welsh capital.
David Beckham has been spotted queuing in London as he joined thousands waiting to see the Queen lying in state.
Images shared on social media show fellow members of the queue to Westminster Hall holding their phones in the air to capture a picture of the 47-year-old former footballer as he waited to pay his respects.
Here he is in the background! Photo taken by my new queue buddy @OliverAngove pic.twitter.com/SYfURZzQi4
A woman in the queue said Beckham was "just a few lines behind us in the snake".
They tweeted: "The Queue is now full of people trying to photograph David Beckham and forgetting to actually move onwards.
"It’s madness!
"I feel a bit sorry for him, but he’s taking it very well.
"It’s made me almost forget that we’ve been in The Queue almost TWELVE HOURS though."
Among other celebrities spotted in the queue was TV presenter Susanna Reid.
Despite what we are seeing on the ground, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are reporting on its live tracker that entry is paused.
But in Southwark Park, the gates are open, and people are still filing through.
The King and Queen are meeting people in Cardiff Bay, having left the Senedd.
The King continued: "Through all the years of her reign, the land of Wales could not be closer to my mother’s heart.
"I know she took immense pride in your many great achievements, even as she also felt you deeply in great times of sorrow.
"It must surely be counted the greatest achievement to belong to a land that inspired so much devotion.
"I am resolved to honour that same example in the spirit of the words I always try to live my own life – Ich dien – I Serve."
First Minister Mark Drakeford stood to propose the Motion of Condolence in English and Welsh and the King then stood to reply in both languages.
The motion, which was agreed at an extraordinary session of the Senedd held last Sunday, said: "That this Senedd expresses its deep sadness at the death of Her Majesty The Queen and offers its sincere condolences to His Majesty The King and other members of the royal family.
"We recognise Her Majesty’s enduring commitment to public service and duty, including her support for many Welsh charities and organisations, and her lifelong association with Wales and its people."
The session was closed by the Llywdd Elin Jones, who then escorted Charles and Camilla to the courtyard area where they viewed condolence messages and met 12 members of the Welsh Youth Parliament.
The entrance to Southwark Park has reopened despite a Government announcement that the queue has been paused.
The gates were originally shut as queue attendants sought to deter new arrivals.
But a second queue quickly began to form outside the park along Jamaica Road, leading attendants to reopen the gate.
The queue continues to move slowly inside the park.
Upon their arrival at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, the King and Queen Consort were received by the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan Morfudd Meredith, the Llywydd (presiding officer) Elin Jones, and First Minister Mark Drakeford.
Hundreds of people, including schoolchildren, were outside the Senedd and cheered as Charles and Camilla arrived, with many waving Wales flags.
Children were chanting ‘we want the King!’ ahead of their arrival.
Downing Street said the queue system to view the Queen’s lying in state is going to plan.
The public queue is being paused for at least six hours after reaching capacity this morning.
A Number 10 spokeswoman directed questions to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, but it was "the case that what DCMS have done is they’ve temporarily paused the queue for at least six hours after it reached maximum capacity.
"That has always been part of our planning and that is to make sure as many people as possible in the queue can enter the Palace of Westminster."
One excited schoolgirl greeted the Queen, before loudly shouting: "I shaked Camilla’s hand!"
After the service inside Llandaff Cathedral, the King met with the public on the streets of the Cardiff suburb.
Chants of "God save the King" and "long live the King" rang out and the King made his way down the packed streets, shaking hands, fist bumping and receiving flowers.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy told reporters the "hugely complex" policing operation is the biggest in the force’s history, surpassing the London 2012 Olympics which saw up to 10,000 police officers on duty per day.
Mr Cundy said: "This will be the largest single policing event that the Met Police has ever undertaken.
"As a single event this is larger than the 2012 Olympics, it is larger than the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
"The range of officers, police staff and all those supporting the operation is truly immense."
It will also be the largest global protection operation the force has dealt with, as hundreds of world leaders, dignitaries and other VIPs are expected to attend the state funeral on Monday.
In the wake of the Queen’s death, in mutual aid alone – officers who are drafted in from outside forces to help – there will be 20,000 officer shifts throughout the week and 2,000 officers in a single day at the peak, Mr Cundy said.
More than 30 arrests have been made so far as part of the biggest policing operation in the Met’s history in the lead-up to the Queen’s funeral.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said by Friday morning 34 people had been arrested for a "range of offences" but described this as "relatively few", adding that none had been for protesting.
Scotland Yard has not yet been able to provide a breakdown of the offences involved.
Berny Torre is at the back of the queue for us.
Queue announcements have been branded a “complete shambles” as a steady stream of people continue to join the line at Southwark Park, some three hours after the government said the queue had been paused.
Lionel Gilmartin, 64, and his wife Kaaron left their Manchester home at 7.30am to pay their respects to the late Queen at Westminster Hall today.
They said they will ignore official announcements about the queue closing “until it comes from the horse’s mouth”.
Lionel, who owns an import distribution company in Manchester, said they had been a “complete shambles”.
Back to the queue.
The entrance to Southwark Park has been closed.
Officials are now stopping people from entering the queue for the lying in state.
An official said: "The entrance to the queue has been closed."
A crowd has formed around the entrance as people beg to be let in.
Closing his address to the cathedral, the Right Rev Andrew John quoted the late Queen herself.
He said that in her Christmas message, having lost her husband, Queen Elizabeth said: "It is this simplicity of the Christmas story that makes it so universally appealing: simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus, a man whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith
“His birth marked a new beginning. As the carol says: ‘The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight”, concluded the Queen’."
The Right Rev Andrew John continued that one of the Queen’s many skills was her ability to impose her "soft power" on the people.
He said: "In Wales, that skill was never more evident than when she visited Aberfan in 1966."
This in reference to the mining disaster which killed 116 children and 28 adults when a colliery spoil tip collapsed and earth engulfed a primary school and nearby houses.
Andrew John, the Archbishop of Wales, said we will "never look at a jar of marmalade in the same way again".
Addressing the King and those gathered inside Llandaff Cathedral, he also said that people will be reminded of the late Queen every time they watch James Bond due to the sketch she filmed with Daniel Craig.
A sign at the entrance to Southwark Park in south-east London has been changed to announce that the queue to see the Queen lying in state has been paused.
The sign originally said: "Lying in state queue: please expect long delays, thank you for your patience."
The sign then changed at around 11.35am to "Entry to Her Majesty’s lying in state queue is temporarily paused.
"Lying in state queue wait time from this point minimum 14 hours."
Read in English by Morfudd Meredith, HM Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, performed a reading from the Gospel according to St Matthew:
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.
Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’
‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.’
Matthew 5:1-10, 14-16
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, opened the proceedings by reading in Welsh from the First Book of Kings:
The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt-offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed, I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.’ Then Solomon awoke; it had been a dream.
Preparations to pause the queue at Southwark Park in south-east London are continuing as thousands of people enter the line to see the Queen lying in state.
Asked where entry to the queue would pause from, a spokesman for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in the park said: "I’m not going to speculate at the moment – it’s too early for that."
He said the announcement about the pause has "trickled down… we informed the TfL, the transport people, first to let people find out before they reach this point."
He added that announcements are being made in Tube stations and on display boards.
"We are trying to move people as fast as we can; just bear with us about some of the finer questions about the ground level."
The King walked through the cathedral to the sound of a Welsh hymn.
Earlier, military units from the Army, Navy and RAF have marked the King’s arrival in Wales with a gun salute.
Reservists from 104 Regiment Royal Artillery carried out the gun salute from Cardiff Castle on Friday as Charles arrived at Llandaff Cathedral.
Channel 4 will broadcast the 1953 documentary A Queen Is Crowned concurrently with the state funeral being broadcast on the BBC and ITV, it has announced.
The technicolour programme, narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, was previously nominated for an Oscar.
A Channel 4 spokesman said: "On the day Britain says farewell to its longest serving monarch, Channel 4 will be airing A Queen Is Crowned, the classic 1953 documentary about her coronation, so that viewers can experience both the beginning and end of her remarkable reign.
"Following the service, Channel 4 will also broadcast two extended editions of Channel 4 News as well as the 1943 Vera Lynn film, We’ll Meet Again."
A DCMS official defended his department’s announcement saying it had been relayed to TfL and on Twitter.
Asked why park stewards in charge of the queues had not been informed directly, he said “We are trying to get people moving the queue as quickly as possible, I cannot go into finer details at the moment.”
Huge crowds lined the streets of Llandaff – a Cardiff suburb – to greet King Charles III.
Loud cheers came from those gathered, many of whom were waving Union Flags.
Confusion around the closure of the queue to see the Queen lying in state continues at Southwark Park.
Thousands of mourners are still filing through the gate, despite instructions from the Government that the queue has been paused until 4pm.
A press officer from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport could be seen making his way to speak to queue officials.
Asked if the queue has been paused yet, he replied: "I’m not sure, I need to go and find out."
The King has landed in Cardiff, having touched down in a helicopter.
Gun salutes sounded at Cardiff Castle to mark his arrival.
The Prime Minister, wearing a black coat and a black hat, has arrived at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.
Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you, the queue for The Queue pic.twitter.com/NfoiOg0qGA
People continue to enter Southwark Park to queue to see the lying in state at Westminster Hall despite instructions from the Government that entry to the line has been paused until at least 4pm on Friday.
A queue attendant told the PA news agency they had yet to receive any instructions to close the gate and stop any more people joining the queue.
Hundreds of people continue to file through the gate into the park.
In a tweet, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: "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 reopens.
"Check back for further updates."
In its most recent update, the department said estimated queueing time for mourners had risen to at least 14 hours.
Eight of the Queen’s grandchildren will stand vigil beside her coffin in Westminster Hall for 15 minutes on Saturday night, royal sources have confirmed.
The Prince of Wales will stand at the head, the Duke of Sussex at the foot. At the King’s request, they will both be in uniform. The other grandchildren will be in morning suits and dark formal dresses with decorations.
William will be flanked by his cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Philips, the children of the Princess Royal; while Harry will be with the Duke of York’s daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
The Earl of Wessex’s children Lady Louise and Viscount Severn will stan near the middle of their grandmother’s coffin.
The grandchildren, at the King’s invitation, are said to be very keen to pay their respects – just as their parents are doing on Friday evening.
Of his conversation with the Prince of Wales, Mark Drakeford said: "He did say to me that he wanted to take on his new responsibilities slowly, that he wanted to give time for his own knowledge of Wales the things that matter in the Wales of today, to be fully established, for him to think about where his own contribution could most powerfully be made. And I thought that was very sensible as an approach."
Mark Drakeford said he has spoken to the new Prince of Wales but not discussed the investiture proceedings directly.
However, he appeared to strongly suggest that the investiture need not follow the pattern set by the ceremony that saw Charles made prince of Wales in 1969.
"The Wales of 2022 is very different to the Wales of 1969. I don’t think looking back at that event and thinking of it as some sort of pattern that you would wish to pick up and copy, I don’t think that would be the right way to go about things.
"I think the new Prince of Wales will want to take time to establish himself in that role, to work out where he can make the most contribution to creating a successful Wales of the future."
A protest against the monarchy is to take place on Friday during King Charles III’s first visit to Wales since ascending the throne.
The silent demonstration will begin from 1pm at Cardiff Castle, organisers have said.
The castle is one of three locations Charles will visit during his day-long tour of the capital, and where he will meet charitable organisations and faith leaders after having a private audience with First Minister Mark Drakeford.
Those attending the rally are expected to stand and hold signs with slogans such as "Why a Monarchy?" and "Real democracy now".
Campaigners say they want the Welsh public to consider whether a future without the monarchy is possible.
Southwark Park, which marks the end of the queue to see the Queen lying in state, is "extremely busy" and close to capacity, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DMCS) said.
As of 9.08am on Friday, the DCMS tweeted: "Southwark Park is extremely busy. Entry to the queue will be paused if it reaches capacity.
"If you are planning to join, please consider waiting until numbers have reduced."
Three central London Tube stations will be closed for most of the morning on Monday – the day of the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey – to avoid overcrowding.
Transport for London (TfL) announced that passengers will be prevented from starting or ending journeys at Westminster, St James’s Park and Hyde Park Corner stations.
The transport body said it "will aim to reopen stations" after the funeral to help people leaving the Westminster area.
Green Park station will be exit-only between 10am and 8pm.
Many buses in central London will be diverted due to road closures.
TfL also announced that buses will pull over "if it is safe and practical to do so" and switch their engines off during the one-minute silence on Sunday at 8pm and the two-minute silence at around 11.55am on Monday.
Sisters Rebecca, 37, and Sarah Welham, 34, have been in the queue to see the Queen lying in state for almost two hours.
Funeral director Rebecca Welham brought her daughter, Sophia, along and had no problems getting the five-year-old up at 4am to make the journey from Sevenoaks, Kent, to London.
"She went to bed last night and then 4am this morning I got her up," she said.
"I was ready to go, so I literally had to get her up and then go straight out the door."
Sophia sat quietly in the queue eating a sausage roll, with her mother adding: "She is quite excited, if I can use that word, to see the Queen.
"She understands what has happened and she wants to be part of it."
The King and Queen Consort will visit Cardiff on Friday for what will be seen by many as a historical day for Wales.
However, for many others, the day is significant for another reason – it is Owain Glyndwr Day. On Sep 16 each year, thousands celebrate the life and legacy of the "rebel" Prince of Wales.
The same day in 1400 is when Glyndwr began a 15-year uprising against the then-king of England, Henry IV, after which his followers would proclaim him Prince of Wales.
The revolt is considered to be the last Welsh war of independence and Glyndwr has since been viewed as a figurehead of Welsh nationalism and the independence movement.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a number of Glyndwr Day events were cancelled, prompting disappointment and anger in some communities.
But as Charles and Camilla are led on a procession through the Welsh capital, some have vowed to continue their Glyndwr Day traditions.
Justin Trudeau said King Charles III, who visited Canada in May, would carry on his mother’s legacy.
"Our new king, King Charles III, demonstrated his commitment to the larger sweep of history with his most recent tour that included a focus on the generational work necessary to achieve reconciliation and fight climate change," Mr Trudeau told Canada’s MPs.
Justin Trudeau has said that for most Canadians, Queen Elizabeth II was "the only sovereign that most of us have ever known" and "her sudden absence has struck us all palpably and profoundly".
The late Queen "embraced her role" as Canada’s monarch and had felt at home in the country – particularly enjoying being able to speak her impeccable French, Mr Trudeau said.
"Her conversations with me were always candid, we talked about anything and everything, she gave her best advice on a range of issues, she was always curious, engaged and thoughtful," he said.
Canadians "feel like they have lost a family member who grew up alongside us".
Canada’s Prime Minister has reflected on Queen Elizabeth’s sense of humour.
Justin Trudeau, whose father also was the prime minister, said he was "extraordinarily fortunate to have known Her Majesty throughout my life".
"The first time I met her was in 1977 when I was just a little boy," he told MPs.
"When I would meet with her as Prime Minister almost four decades later in 2015, I joked that the last time that we had met she had been taller than me – she responded with a quip about my making her feel old.
"Her sense of humour was one of her many great qualities and one of the many reasons why she was one of my favourite people in the world."
The queue to reach the Queen’s coffin took some mourners more than nine hours to complete but many said the long wait was worth it.
At one point during the first full day of Queen Elizabeth II lying in state in Westminster Hall volunteers along the route, which hugged the south banks of the River Thames, said there could be another 10-12 hours to go from Tower Bridge.
Mourners said there was "breathtaking" serenity awaiting them in Westminster Hall where "you could hear a pin drop" in the silence.
The queue is currently 3.6 miles long, drifting back as far as Tower Bridge, with an estimated wait time of more than 9 hours.
Nurse Melanie Pickman, 50, left her home in Swansea at 11am to join the back of the queue just before 3pm.
The mother-of-three said: "My sons think I’m mad because I have come to London to stand in a queue which some people say could be 30 hours long.
"Last night I thought about it and I made the decision to come first thing this morning. I just thought that I needed to come.
"We will never see this again. She served our country for such a long time. We owe it to her to show our respect.
"Look at all these people who have shown up to queue – she has made them happy.
"She may be the Queen but she is also somebody’s mum, aunty and granny. I just think she is part of us as well. We have been lucky to have her."
Volodymyr Zelensky’s wife will attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, it was reported last night.
Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, will be among a host of world leaders, including Joe Biden, at the state funeral at Westminster Abbey, the Sun reported.
The newspaper quoted a source as saying: “Olena Zelenska’s presence is yet another sign of the global support for Ukraine while Russia is isolated.”
Mr Zelensky is not believed to be travelling to London.
The Ukrainian Government has not responded to the report.
King Charles III is scheduled to visit Wales for the first time since ascending the throne before returning to London to hold a vigil at the Queen’s coffin with his brothers and sister.
The King and the Queen Consort will travel to Cardiff today for the next leg of a home nations tour following the Queen’s death, after trips to Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The Royal couple will attend a service of prayer and reflection at Llandaff Cathedral before receiving condolences at the Welsh parliament, the Senedd.
The King will later hold a private audience with Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and the presiding officer at Cardiff Castle, although a protest against the monarchy is expected outside.
He will then attend a reception hosted by the Welsh Government, before returning to Buckingham Palace in the evening to host faith leaders in the Bow Room.
Sandra Oh is due to attend the state funeral of the Queen as part of the Canadian delegation.
The actress (pictured above), known for her role in the BBC hit series Killing Eve, will participate in a procession of national honours as part of the service on Monday.
She joins the delegation as a member of the Order of Canada alongside musician Gregory Charles and Olympic gold medallist swimmer Mark Tewksbury.
Oh was granted the honour in June, after building her profile in comedy-drama Killing Eve alongside British actress Jodie Comer.
The pair recently went to head to head at the 2022 Emmy awards for outstanding lead actress in a drama for their roles in the series, but lost out to Euphoria’s Zendaya.
Canada’s delegation to the funeral will be led by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and will also include governor-general Mary Simon as well as former prime ministers and governor-generals.
We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism.
We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future.
Thank you for your support.
Need help?
Visit our adblocking instructions page.