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Sunday, 7 April, 2002, 16:20 GMT 17:20 UK
Prince greets Queen Mother crowds
Andrew and Beatrice chat with the crowds on Sunday
The Duke of York has turned out to thank the crowds paying respects to his grandmother, the Queen Mother, lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.
Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, 13 and 12, chatted with people at the head of the queue of mourners for about 20 minutes. BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said the Queen was considering make a broadcast to the nation on Monday.
Sunday's 70,000-strong queue of well-wishers was the longest yet, with people filing past the coffin at a rate of 3,000 an hour. The prince also chatted to volunteers helping the crowds, saying: "It's brilliant. Thanks very much indeed to all of you," to one.
The queue at Westminster Hall stretched for several miles along the South Bank on Sunday afternoon, and Scotland Yard said the average wait was still between five to six hours. The first members of the public have also begun claiming vantage points for the funeral, more than 48 hours ahead of the procession. Princes' 'inspiration' The opening hours for the lying-in-state have again been extended. They will now be round-the-clock, except for a short break on Monday morning between 0600 and 0800 BST, until 0600 BST on Tuesday - only five hours before the coffin is moved.
He is also considering plans to increase the number of people passing through the hall each hour, by stopping mourners walking in single file. Although more than 100,000 people have now filed past the Queen Mother's coffin, Sir Michael warned some people would not be able to pay tribute unless changes were made. Churches across the country have been holding Queen Mother memorial services, including a special televised service of commemoration at St Paul's Cathedral. And Princes William and Harry have paid tribute to their "inspirational" great-grandmother.
In an interview they praised her irreverent, youthful sense of humour, recalling a time she mimicked TV comic character Ali G and his catchphrase "Respec". The St Paul's service was "a celebration as well as a commemoration" of the Queen Mother, with her favourite hymns being sung. The Bishop of London, the Right Reverend Richard Chartres, praised the "zest for life" of the Queen Mother. "The world seems a colder place without her and it is natural that we should feel a sense of loss," he said. At 1118 BST on Tuesday a parade will carry the Queen Mother's coffin from Westminster Hall to nearby Westminster Abbey, for the funeral service at 1130 BST.
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07 Apr 02 | UK
07 Apr 02 | UK
04 Apr 02 | UK
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