Britain’s Long Goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II

[jingle plays]

Right. Thank you.

That's a sign you're never gonna see again, is it, really?

[people greeting each other]

[Man] People in the queue,

show your wristbands once, please.

[people chattering]

[Man 2] Please just have them out and visible,

ready for my colleagues here at the checkpoint behind me.

[Woman] Thank you. - [Woman] Thank you.

[Man 2] Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning.

[people chattering]

How long time have waiting?

Nine hours.

[Man] Half past five, we got here this morning.

I'm so grateful seeing all the people,

'cause everybody's so friendly.

From Italy, from Spain, you know,

and they're all talking to us in the queue.

It's just amazing.

Everybody's so friendly.

Thank you.

Thank you, good man. [people laughing]

Champions are coming.

Please, give them a medal. [women cheer]

They are winning.

Look at that man:

he dress so well,

he walk so well.

Give him a medal, give him a medal.

[Man] My cleaner popped her head out the bathroom

and went, Queen dead, Facebook.

And then started hoovering.

I was like, You can leave early.

It's fine, don't worry about it.

[Man] Yeah. I left the Royal Navy in February last year

and that's why I'm here today,

to pay my respects to what we call the Boss.

[people chattering]

[Woman] I just finished a 12 hour night shift

and came straight from my shift to come and queue.

So I'm a little bit tired, but it's worth it.

[Interviewer] So you didn't sleep at all?

[Woman] No, no.

[Older Woman] It's not just the queue,

some of us have come a long distance.

I've drove for four hours to join the queue.

So, it's a very long day, but it's gonna be well worth it

because I came for the Queen Mother as well.

I did the lying in state for that.

[people chattering]

[Woman] We are experts at it.

We are total experts at it.

You know, we get A for queuing.

[Interviewer] Why do people love for queue?

[Woman] We have been queuing since midnight.

We're now so tired.

I'm a little bit disorientated.

[woman laughs]

Five hours here

and then two hours there, about seven hours.

[Woman] We started early, too.

That's okay.

At least they keep giving you water along the way.

Although they could do with more toilets.

One hour?

Yeah, one hour.

Morning, say hello to the lady.

Okay, just checking.

Hello. Say hello to the lady.

Who do you have to pay to queue-jump, 'cause that's a joke.

[people clamoring]

Queue's moving.

[distant hammering, people murmuring]

[man laughs]

[Woman] Have we had fun?

[Child] Yeah.

[Woman] What have we been doing?

[Child] I've been doing gymnastic

and we've been playing games.

And I can't wait to see the Queen.

I'm not schlepping her around on the train.

I know that you with your kids,

because you live in the city.

It's hard, isn't it? - Yes, it's hard.

[Boy] I've been waiting for five hours.

It's been a bit tiring.

[Child] Really tiring.

[Child] I've been waiting in the queue for so long.

I just want to get out the queue.

[Woman] But you've had your snacks haven't you?

[Child] Yeah, so we're fine.

As long as we have food, we're fine.

[Man] Oh, well, a little while back there

somebody told us five hours.

[Woman] We've got so much food there.

[Man] That's right.

We've gotta give away because we came prepared for 20 hours.

[Woman] We've got a rucksack full of food

and we're gonna have to be sharing them out.

[Group Of People] Oh, no, no.

[Woman] Well, I think she deserves it.

She's done a great job.

And she's touched everybody's hearts.

It's like losing your arm, really.

So, yeah.

Come to pay respects.

[people clapping]

[continued applause]

[Woman] It's enriching for us and comforting, I think.

[Man] Yeah.

[Woman] As part of the day.

[Man] Something that you've got to do, you know.

If you don't do it,

then you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

[Woman] When a king or queen dies,

you have certain ceremonies to the carried out.

So, this is not strange at all.

A queen of the world.

That's what I'll call her.

[Woman] I'm going to pay respect to a woman

who cannot be replaced by anyone.

She made lot of sacrifices,

but she had a good life, though.

You know what I mean?

She wasn't too deprived, was she?

No.

[Man] I think sort of the least we can do, really.

After 70 years of service, I think it's something

that just feels right to do in response.

And, in a way, to thank her for all those years

of service to us.

[man shouting in the distance]

[people murmuring]

[Group] Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday dear, Flo.

Happy birthday to you!

[people cheering and clapping]

[Child] Well, Yesterday it was my birthday

and then we came down here.

We've got around four hours left to queue

until we see the Queen's coffin.

[Man] 10 hours? 11 hours, yeah.

Tired

'cause we haven't slept for probably a day and a bit

Rhubarb and custard!

Pie and mash, and jellied eels!

Fresh crab and oysters!

You all look dead.

[people laugh] - Dead.

And let me guess what

the queue's that way! [people erupt into laughter]

They've sent you the wrong way.

[Woman] I'm not gonna lie

and say all of it's been hunky dory

cuz it hasn't, you know.

We've waited and we've stood in the same spot

for like two hours

and wondering how come we haven't moved a bit.

I'm not complaining here.

[Man] the queue doesn't really make any difference

I've queued all night to get here.

[Woman] Because it's the Queen.

It's, you know, she's incredibly important

and it's just a huge, huge deal.

So, of course we're going to come.

[woman singing]

[continued singing]

[Vendor] Double bacon, sausage,

beans and chips.

Rib-eye steak and chips.

[atmospheric music plays in the distance]

[man mimics the music]

[man continues to mimic the music comically]

I'm gonna go buy this song from HMV later, mind.

What's this world come to, eh?

Everyone's a, puppet. everyone's a puppet.