Sombre Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield view the Queen's coffin

2022-09-16

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield cut sombre figures as they film TV segment for This Morning at Westminster Hall – as grieving Brits queue for up to 14 hours to view the Queen’s coffin

The This Morning presenters donned all black ensembles, with Holly in a face mask, as they made their way into the historic building to view the late monarch and film a TV segment for Tuesday’s show
With reports that the now 5-mile long queue has been closed for six hours, boosting the wait time till ‘at least 14 hours’, the TV duo joined a separate queue for press and were taken into a press gallery
A source told MailOnline: ‘They did not get to pay their respects to the Queen in the same way as queuing members of the public but they filmed in a section put aside for press’
This Morning’s Friday show has been cancelled in favour of rolling ITV news coverage in the lead-up to the Queen’s state funeral. The programme will be back on screens on Tuesday
It comes as their fellow ITV daytime star Susanna Reid revealed that she queued for more than seven hours to view the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall on Thursday
She described the ‘historic’ moment as ‘majestic and peaceful’ as she revealed she had joined dedicated mourners in the queues
Queues to see the late monarch doubled in length on Thursday and were snaking for four miles past Tower Bridge, after dropping to two miles overnight

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby cut sombre figures on Friday as they filmed a segment for Tuesday’s episode of This Morning at London’s Westminster Hall.

The This Morning presenters donned all black ensembles, with Holly, 41, in a face mask, as they made their way into the historic building where the late monarch lying in state following her death last week.

With reports that the now 5-mile long queue has been closed for six hours, boosting the wait time till ‘at least 14 hours’, the TV duo joined a separate queue for press and were taken into a press gallery.

A source told MailOnline: ‘They did not get to pay their respects to the Queen in the same way as queuing members of the public but they filmed in a section put aside for press.

‘This Morning’s Friday show has been cancelled in favour of rolling ITV news coverage in the lead-up to the Queen’s state funeral. The programme will be back on screens on Tuesday.’

Paying respects: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield cut sombre figures as they filmed a TV segment for This Morning at Westminster Hall on Friday – as grieving Brits queued for up to 14 hours to view the Queen’s coffin

Phillip, 60, opted to wear a smart black suit and tie for the visit, with the presenter sporting a glum look on his face as he followed behind his co-star.

Meanwhile, Holly was elegant in an understated black dress with silver button detailing along the front.

It comes after their fellow ITV daytime star Susanna Reid revealed that she queued for more than seven hours to view the Queen’s coffin on its first day being on public view at Westminster Hall the day before.

Low-key: The This Morning presenters donned all black ensembles, with Holly in a face mask, as they made their way into the historic building to view the late monarch lying in state following her death last week

The Good Morning Britain Host, 51, took to Twitter to announce that she and her mother Sue had paid their respects to the late monarch as she lay in state.

She described the ‘historic’ moment as ‘majestic and peaceful’ as she revealed she had joined mourners in the massive queues, which had reached five miles in length.

She wrote: ‘Evening – along with my lovely mum and her very good friend, I have just experienced a moment in history – witnessing the Queen lying in state in Westminster Hall. At once majestic and peaceful.’

Attendance: The segment will air on Tuesday’s episode of This Morning – a day after the Queen’s funeral (pictured on This Morning on Monday)

Update: People are queuing to see the Queen’s lying-in-state at Westminster Hall until Monday, on the route shown above

Susanna said she had waited for more than seven hours to see Her Majesty’s coffin as she offered advice to others wanting to pay their respects.

She continued: ‘If you are planning to queue here are our tips. We joined at 1.23pm near Butlers Wharf and entered Westminster Hall at 8.43pm – 7 hours 20 mins.

‘Wear the comfiest shoes you own. Go with someone if you can, although everyone in the queue was friendly.

Dedicated: It comes after their fellow ITV daytime star Susanna Reid revealed that she queued for more than seven hours to view the Queen’s coffin on its first day being on public view at Westminster Hall on Thursday

Grief: Susanna described the ‘historic’ moment as ‘majestic and peaceful’ as she revealed she had joined mourners in the queues, which had reached five miles in length

‘Don’t carry too much in a bag – water is freely available and there are lots of cafes along the route.

‘Also plenty of toilets. I put my phone on low battery mode and it lasted the entire time.’

Queues to see the late monarch doubled in length on Thursday and were snaking for four miles past Tower Bridge, after dropping to two miles overnight.

Many more are expected to join the queue over the weekend – in a sign of the huge demand from people to say their final goodbye to the popular monarch.

It is estimated the number of people set to make the trip could hit more than 350,000, with people from all over the world expected to visit London to pay their respects.

Sombre: The Good Morning Britain Host, 51, took to Twitter to announce that she and her mother Sue paid their respects to the late monarch as she lay in state

Queuing: Susanna also revealed she had waited for more than seven hours to see Her Majesty’s coffin as she offered advice to others wanting to pay their respects

However, it’s since been reported on Friday that the queue to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state has been closed for at least six hours.

The Government said in an update just before 10am: ‘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 re-opens.’

On the third day of the Queen’s lying in state, those stood in the queue which hugged the south bank of the River Thames were told the wait time had swelled to ‘at least 14 hours’ and 4.9 miles to Southwark Park in Bermondsey.

The Government had warned just an hour earlier: ‘If the park reaches capacity, entry to the queue will be paused. If you have not yet set off to join, please consider waiting until numbers have reduced.’

Meanwhile, Amanda Holden made her way to Westminster Hall on Friday to chat to members of the public who were queuing to view the Queen’s coffin.

Long day: Susanna (pictured with her mother) wrote: ‘We joined at 1.23pm near Butlers Wharf and entered Westminster Hall at 8.43pm – 7 hours 20 mins’

The presenter, 51, who usually fronts Heart FM Breakfast, swapped the studio for the crowds of sombre Brits for the news show.

Sharing clips from her visit to Instagram, the TV personality penned that there were ‘Friendships forged forever in shared grief’ among the crowds.

Amanda cut a solemn figure as she joined the crowds, some of which who had waited for over ten hours to pay their respects.

On Monday, Holly told how she was ‘really touched’ by messages her children wrote to the Queen following her death and admits she urged them to write letters as a means of processing the news.

The presenter, 41, encouraged her three children with producer husband Dan Baldwin – Harry, 13, Belle, 11, and Chester, seven – to put down their feelings in writing after a visit to Buckingham Palace on the weekend to pay their respects.

Crowds: Queues to see the late monarch doubled in length on Thursday and were snaking for four miles past Tower Bridge, after dropping to two miles overnight

Huge waiting times: Sources told how mourners could be prevented from seeing the Queen lying in state if they arrive at the end of the queue in Southwark Park after 12.30am on Sunday

Speaking on This Morning, she reflected on the impact of the Queen’s death with her co-host Phil before reading their messages to viewers.

Willoughby said she had urged her children to write to the Queen as a way of processing the news.

Speaking about how she had explained the ideas of service and duty to youngest child Chester, the presenter added: ‘I was trying to explain to him that whatever her passions and her loves (were) from being a little girl, this was where she was destined to go, what she was destined to do.

‘Friendships forged forever in shared grief’: Amanda Holden, 51, took to Westminster Hall on Friday as she chatted to crowds who were waiting hours to view the Queen’s coffin

Shared grief: Sharing a video to her 1.8M followers as she looked out, the star wrote: ‘My privilege to talk to some of you queuing and coming out of Westminster Hall this morning. The atmosphere and camaraderie was incredible .. friendships forged forever in shared grief’

‘All of her own passions had to be put on the backburner for her country. Chester, he loves football but that would not be something he would get to do and it was giving him that level of understanding.’

Mourners have already been pictured in tears as they pay their respects, as well as making the sign of the cross and standing in prayer.

Pictures showed paramedics appearing to treat exhausted well-wishers, some who have queued throughout the day on Thursday, to see the Queen lying in state.

Respectful: Fellow stars have also taken to Westminster over the past few days, with Heidi Range sharing pictures of her daughter Aurelia laying flowers at the scene

Heartfelt: As the singer paid tribute, she wrote: ‘Pleased that we were able to pay our respects today’

There he is: Eamonn Holmes dressed all in black as he shared an Instagram snap of himself outside an empty Buckingham Place

The broadcaster penned: ‘Lots of you look and feel as lost as I do in this picture. Everything is changing . What’s going on in The World ? Strange times. Sad times, Here’s to new better times soon’

It comes after a soldier guarding the coffin fainted during his stint. One mourner was seen falling as he walked down the stairs of historic Westminster Hall towards the Queen’s coffin.

Ahead of what is expected to be a peak point this weekend, more than 1.7million people have gone online to view the Government’s live queue tracker on YouTube which shows the end of the line as people wait patiently to enter Westminster Hall to see the Queen’s coffin.

Thousands have already managed to see Her Majesty’s coffin, draped in the royal standard, as members of the royal guard stand in vigil around it.

Reflection: On Monday, Holly told how she was ‘really touched’ by messages her children wrote to the Queen following her death

Therapeutic: Willoughby said she had urged her children to write to the Queen as a way of processing the news (pictured, son Harry’s message)

Moving: Willoughby said that reading them back after the visit had “really touched” her (pictured, daughter Belle’s letter to the Queen)

Respects: The presenter visited Buckingham Palace with her three children at the weekend, after which she encouraged them to put their feelings down on paper

But sources told MailOnline how mourners could be prevented from seeing the Queen lying in state if they arrive at the end of the queue in Southwark Park later than 12.30am on Sunday.

Organisers have designated the bottom of the 63-acre park as the end of the line to see Elizabeth II’s coffin in Westminster Hall, more than five miles away.

The estimated waiting time for those joining in the park, where snaking airport-style queues have been set up, is 30 hours.

That means that people have until 12.30am on Sunday with which to join the line before the time The Queen lays in state officially ends at 6.30am on Monday, the day of the state funeral.

On Thursday – the first full day of the Queen’s coffin being on public view – the queue had already reached Bermondsey Wall, half a mile from the park, by 3pm today.

A source said: ‘Southwark Park has been designated as the end of the queue. There have been barriers set up to facilitate a zig-zag queuing system.

‘Anyone at the end of that queue in the park can expect to wait for up to 30-hours to see The Queen in state.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=cJxDwDzAwEs%3Frel%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26hl%3Den-US

Paying respects: A child places flowers for Queen Elizabeth at the Green Park memorial next to Buckingham Palace this evening as thousands queue

‘We have to have a cut-off point, a time when we’ll have to unfortunately start turning people away.

‘That time will depend on the volume of the crowd and the flow rate on the route. At the moment around 2,000 people are being let into Westminster Hall an hour.

‘Currently that time will be either very late on Saturday night or extremely early on Sunday morning. But the Metropolitan Police will have the final say.

‘We’ve obviously been preparing for this and anticipated that the crowd would come this far…just not this soon.’

Sad news: Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch who was on the throne for 70 years, died at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace announced at 6.30pm on Thursday

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