What time does the Queen's coffin leave Buckingham Palace? Queen Elizabeth II lying in state set to begin

Thousands have lined The Mall to greet the new king, but also to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II.

The King waved as he rode past thousands of well-wishers lining The Mall and into Buckingham Palace.

The crowd burst into applause and cheers as the state Rolls-Royce passed the Victoria Memorial and dropped Charles off at the royal residence.

This afternoon, the Queen’s coffin will leave Buckingham Palace for the final time ahead of her lying in state.

Members of the Household Cavalry in The Mall, central London, ahead of the ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, London. Picture date: Wednesday September 14, 2022.

Here’s everything you need to know,

What time does the Queen’s coffin leave Buckingham Palace?

The royal family will accompany their matriarch on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queueing for hours.

The procession will leave the palace at 2.22pm and is expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.

A service lasting around 20 minutes will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster.

What members of the royal family will be part of the procession?

King Charles III, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex, will form part of the procession on Wednesday afternoon.

Anne’s son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will also walk behind the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.

The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex will travel by car.

How long will Queen Elizabeth II lie in state?

Mourners have already joined the queue to attend the Queen’s lying in state which will continue until the day of the Queen’s funeral.

Government guidance says the queue is expected to be very long, with people standing for “many hours, possibly overnight” and with very little opportunity to sit down.

The late monarch’s lying in state in Westminster Hall opens to the public at 5pm on Wednesday and it will be open 24 hours a day until it closes at 6.30am on September 19 – the day of the Queen’s funeral.

Where is Westminster Hall?

Westminster Hall, which dates back to 1099, is in the Palace of Westminster and is the oldest building on the parliamentary estate.

It forms part of the Westminster Unesco World Heritage Site and the UK Parliament website refers to its “great size”, the “magnificence” of its roof, and its central role in British history.

The building has been the site of key events, such as the trial of Charles I, coronation banquets, and addresses by world leaders.

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Security and restrictions before entering the Palace of Westminster

Under the arrangements, once mourners have passed through the Albert Embankment they will be directed across Lambeth Bridge and through airport-style security before entering the Palace of Westminster.

There are tight restrictions on what you can take in, with people allowed just one small bag with one simple opening or zip.

The line will be managed by more than 1,000 volunteers, stewards and police officers.

St John Ambulance members will also be stationed along the route, while more than one hundred Scouts aged between 18 and 25 will join volunteers from the charity Samaritans to offer help.