‘Part of history’: Mourners camp overnight to catch glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral

‘If you don’t say thank you now, when do you?’ one mourner in Westminster says

It was a long and cold wait for mourners who had gathered at Parliament Square ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral.

Crowds arrived the night before with sleeping bags, chairs and snacks as they prepared to catch a glimpse of a “once-in-a-lifetime” moment following the monarch’s death.

But after hours of sharing stories and making friends with fellow mourners, the crowd finally fell silent shortly before 10.45am.

Some perched on windowsills and walls opposite Parliament Square while others jostled to get a view as the Queen’s coffin moved from Westminster Hall to the Abbey for the state funeral.

“There she is,” one woman whispered as she managed to steal a glance in between the rows of people crowded together.

Many travelled far and wide to reach Westminster on Monday, with some camping out overnight to get a good spot.

Mourners told The Independent they wanted to feel part of an important moment in history - even if they did not manage to see much.

Caroline List travelled six hours on a coach from Bolton the day before with her daughter to join crowds paying respect to Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral.

“I’ve always read and watched documentaries about history and stuff like that. It’s one thing reading about it and actually being part of it,” she said from Parliament Square.

Caroline List travelled down from Bolton to be in London (Zoe Tidman / The Independent)

Mourners try to catch a glimpse of the Queen’s coffin on the way to the state funeral (Zoe Tidman / The Independent)

The 37-year-old added: “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, isn’t it?”

Mary Jane Fickl, who had spent the night waiting in Westminster, used the same phrase when describing why she had come to pay her respects to the Queen on Monday.

She called the former monarch an “incredible lady” who was “still doing her duty” two days before she died.

Mary Jane Fickl described it as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ moment (Zoe Tidman / The Independent)

“If you don’t say thank you now, when do you?” Ms Fickl, from Eastbourne, said.

Francis Campbell and Ian Rees were sitting next to her with a sleeping bag over their legs to keep warm as they waited for the state funeral to kick off on a chilly Monday morning.

They had also spent the night camping out at Wesminster in the hope of getting a good view of the procession.

Francis Campbell and Ian Rees stayed overnight in Parliament Square to get a good spot (Zoe Tidman / The Independent)

“The Queen is somebody to really look up to. She worked really hard and she held her emotions in. And she did that right to the end,” Mr Rees said.

Mr Campbell added: “If you want a strong female figure, there you go!”

The crowd watched on from the other side of Parliament Square as convoys pulled up to Westminster Abbey and the Queen’s coffin was moved across Parliament Square before the state funeral took place at 11am.

Crowds jostle for position at Parliament Square (Zoe Tidman / The Independent)

Mourners stood on walls and window sills in hope of getting a good view of the funeral procession (Zoe Tidman / The Independent)

Some dispersed after catching a glimpse of the coffin, saying goodbye to people they had met that very day.

Others stayed on as the state funeral took place a short distance away, during which they marked a two-minute’s silence followed by God Save the King.

Mourners also jostled for the best view after the state funeral finished and another procession - this time to Wellington Arch - started. From there, the coffin will embark on its final journey to Winsdow Castle.