WATCH LIVE: Wait to see queen’s coffin extends to 24 hours
King Charles III has spoken of his late mother’s love of Wales as he addressed the Welsh parliament Friday.
Charles wrapped up his tour of the four nations of the U.K. with a visit to Cardiff, following previous trips to Scotland and Northern Ireland.
He told members of the parliament, or Senedd, on Friday that Wales “could not have been closer to my mother’s heart.”
He said he felt “immense gratitude for the privilege” of serving for decades as Prince of Wales, the title traditionally bestowed on the heir to the throne. Prince William now has that title.
Charles said: “I am resolved to honor that selfless example, in the spirit of the words by which I have always tried to live my own life: Ich Dien, I Serve.”
The king and Camilla, the queen consort, were greeted by cheering crowds in Cardiff — and by a handful of anti-monarchy protesters. Some carried the flag of Owain Glyndwr, a medieval leader who was Prince of Wales before the title was taken by the English Crown after the English conquest of Wales in the 14th century.
Later Friday, the new king is scheduled to receive faith leaders at Buckingham Palace in London before joining his siblings for a vigil around the queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall.
Prince William, Prince Harry and their cousins will stand for 15 minutes for a vigil around the queen’s coffin on Saturday.
Those making the miles-long queue to see the queen’s coffin lying in state at Westminster Hall will be able to see the Royal Family if they pass by during that time.
Soccer star David Beckham was among the mourners who waited for hours Friday to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II in London.
Soccer great David Beckham was among those who waited in the long line Friday to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
People spotted the former England captain in the line of mourners near Britain’s Houses of Parliament at lunchtime on Friday. He is believed to have joined the queue at 2 a.m. and to have lined up for more than 10 hours with thousands of others.
Officials temporarily halted people joining the back of the line for more than seven hours on Friday after a park at the farthest end became full. People who arrived were directed to holding areas and slowly allowed to join the queue.
By Friday afternoon, officials said that people may have to stand in line for more than 24 hours before reaching Westminster Hall.
And they say that it will be cold during the night.
The line was about 5 miles long, snaking along the banks of the River Thames.
Authorities laid on more than 500 portable toilets, while around 1,000 stewards and marshals were on duty at any given time.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects before Monday’s state funeral.
Meanwhile, London police say Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will be the largest single policing event the force has ever handled.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said Friday that the massive police operation surpasses even the 2012 Olympics, which were held in the British capital, and the celebrations earlier this year of the queen’s 70 years on the throne.
“As a single event this is larger than the 2012 Olympics, it is larger than the Platinum Jubilee weekend,” he said.
“The range of officers, police staff and all those supporting the operation is truly immense,” he added.
Royalty and heads of state from around the world are expected to be among the 2,000 people attending the funeral service.
Thousands of people continue to line up for miles to view Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin. Meanwhile, King Charles III is wrapping up his UK tour Friday.
The Vatican says the Holy See’s foreign minister will represent Pope Francis at the funeral.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a brief written statement Friday that Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, who is secretary for relations with states and international organizations, would attend the funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Gallagher, a career diplomat, is a native of Liverpool in northwest England.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss will hold one-on-one meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and several other world leaders who are flying to London for the queen’s funeral.
The prime minister’s office says Truss and Biden are due to meet Sunday at the prime minister’s 10 Downing St. office. They previously met when Truss was British foreign secretary.
Truss has been prime minister for just 10 days, and the start of her term has been upended by the queen’s death last week, which has put everyday politics on hold.
The funeral on Monday will provide her first chance to meet with other leaders. Truss is also meeting Sunday at Downing St. with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Polish President Andrzej Duda.
On Saturday, she is due to meet the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand, Anthony Albanese and Jacinda Ardern, at the government’s Chevening country residence outside London.
Click here to send a message of condolence to the Royal Family. A selection of messages will be passed onto members of the Royal Family, and may be held in the Royal Archives for posterity.
Visit Local10.com’s Royal Family section for the latest news from London. Local 10 anchor Nicole Perez will continue her live reports from the U.K., wrapping up with the queen’s funeral next Monday.
