Thousands of people have queued in London to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II, ahead of her funeral
Over the weekend, lines extended along the Thames beyond Tower Bridge, as mourners came from far and wide.
Thousands of police, hundreds of troops and an army of officials made final preparations for the state funeral.
It will also be the biggest gathering of world leaders for years.
Joe Biden arrives
U.S. President Joe Biden and other dignitaries are in London for the funeral, to which around 2000 royals, heads of state and heads of government from around the globe have been invited.
From across the UK, and around the world, they came to say goodbye.
The queue stretching along the Thames, as far as the eye could see, so they could see their beloved monarch, one last time.
From the common man, to the sportsman, David Beckham joining the queues and shedding a tear by the coffin.
World leaders arrive
Britain’s airports were busy too, as thousands of foreign dignitaries arrived in London.
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrived, their motorcade speeding through London’s streets to Westminster Hall .. to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth.
They signed a condolence book at Lancaster House.
The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, was in tears as she visited Westminster Hall.
She them met with the Princess of Wales at Buckingham Palace.
Other distinguished Heads of States, including the President of France, Bulgaria, Singapore and Nigeria, plus Prime Ministers from across the commonwealth, entered Westminster Hall to pay their respects to the monarch.
They arrived at Buckingham Palace by bus for a diplomatic reception hosted by the new King.
Earlier, the queen’s eight grandchildren, led by heir to the throne Prince William, circled the coffin and stood with heads bowed during a silent vigil.
The miles-long queue was closed to new arrivals late Sunday so that everyone in line can file past the coffin before the funeral.
This is the first state funeral in London since Winston Churchill died in 1965. And with thousands of world leaders in attendance, it’s a necessary, but security nightmare for the British security services.
If you are planning to visit Buckingham Palace today, please note you will not be able to access the area in front of the main gate. Those wishing to pay their respects can visit the Floral Tribute Garden in Hyde Park. pic.twitter.com/TqB5VqgYwK
But this is a well rehearsed plan, and London has had years to prepare.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan says it one of the first things he was prepared for when he took the top job.
“If you think about the London marathon, the carnival, previous royal weddings, the Olympics – it’s all that in one.”
The size of the crowds turning out to farewell the queen is impossible to predict, but with unprecedented crowds lining for almost a day to view her coffin, police aren’t taking any chances.
An estimated 4 billion people are expected to watch the funeral on television, as the eyes of the world turn to London.
Ahron Young is an award winning journalist who has covered major news events around the world. Ahron is the Managing Editor and Founder of TICKER NEWS.
TikTok users could soon find that the popular social media service is either under new ownership or could be outright banned in the United States.
President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that requires TikTok to find a new owner—or face a ban in the United States.
Over the past several months, Washington D.C. has been under pressure to ban the popular Chinese-owned social media app.
Lawmakers and security experts have long raised concerns that the Chinese government could tap TikTok’s trove of personal data about millions of U.S. users.
TikTok’s CEO said the bill is disappointing and reiterated that the company has committed to challenge it.
David Zhang from China Insider. joins Veronica Dudo to discuss
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With Threads averaging 28 million daily active users compared to X’s 22 million, Meta’s ambitions to reach a billion users seem within reach despite a slowdown in growth. While X still boasts 550 million monthly active users globally, Threads’ focus on user experience and avoidance of real-time and political content could position it as a formidable competitor moving forward.
This weekend’s entertainment lineup has something for everyone.
Apple TV+ brings “Sugar,” a drama set in New York City, while “Civil War” offers historical intensity.
“Challengers” with Zendaya brings a saucy sport drama to life, and superhero buffs can catch the trailer for “Deadpool and Wolverine” for action-packed fun.
With options spanning drama, history, reality, and superheroes, there’s excitement in store for all this weekend.