Soccer legend David Beckham joined thousands of people as they stood in queue for almost 14 hours to see Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll lie in state at Westminster Hall ahead of her funeral on Monday.
Scuffles broke out when it emerged that Lords and MPs were allowed to jump the 8km line while authorities unsuccessfully tried to pause the numbers from swelling.
After 10 days of mourning, ritual and royal pomp, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, will finally be reunited with her husband Prince Phillip when she is buried at St George's Chapel within the walls of Windsor Castle.
Tonight, the queen’s grandchildren will hold a 15-minute vigil at Westminster Hall where Princes William and Harry, both in military attire, will join six of their cousins.
World leaders attending the funeral are expected to arrive from today and as tributes poured in from across the globe Durban paid its respects to her in a number of ways.
A Memory Table was set up in the foyer of international charity organisation, St John, under the watchful eye of Fatima Hoosen, the Director of Eye Care for St John South Africa.
Hoosen was recently sworn in as a Member of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem – a global chivalric order of the British Crown of which Her Majesty was the Sovereign Head.
“Her guidance and support shaped St John into a modern global healthcare organisation which is deeply rooted in our history as an order of the Crown,” wrote Professor Mark Compton, Lord Prior, St John. “May Her Majesty rest in peace and rise in glory. God Save the King,” said Hoosen this week.
Tomorrow St Cyprian’s Anglican Church in Umbilo will dedicate its 9am prayer service to the queen and the homily will be given by Reverend Dane Elsworth.
David Warmback, Honorary British Consul, will pay tribute to the queen while guest trumpet player, Russell Scott and piper, Pipe Major Ken Mustard will give her a musical send-off.
Pianist Christopher Duigan will perform Edward Elgar’s classical funeral composition Nimrod from Enigma Variations during a solo concert in St Agnes Church in Kloof at 3pm tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Rhumbelow Theatre in Cunningham Road Umbilo is also preparing for the royal funeral. A big screen has been set up and the whole event will be screened from 9am.
The Independent on Saturday