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Mourners from all walks of life have filed past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth through the night as she lies in state in London's Westminster Hall, paying their final respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

After days of processions and ritual as the Queen's body was brought to London from Balmoral, Scotland, where she died last Thursday at the age of 96, this was the opportunity for ordinary people to take a direct part in a ceremony.

Many were in tears as they passed by the flag-draped coffin.

Officials expect some 750,000 people to view it before the lying in state ends at 6.30am (3.30pm AEST) on Monday.

The line stretched back several kilometres along the south bank of the River Thames, past landmarks such as Tower Bridge and crossing Lambeth Bridge as it neared Westminster Hall.

Thomas Hughes, 20, who waited nearly 14 hours overnight with his brother, said finally viewing the coffin was quite overwhelming.

"You do it all because you want to pay respect to this lady ... and when you put yourself through that, and then you get to the moment you're waiting for, you are just that little bit more emotional," he said.

"It's a very powerful thing."

Most in the queue were Britons but some were from overseas.

They were young and old, and included former soldiers bearing military medals and babies being carried by their parents. Many stopped by the coffin to bow their head. Others wiped away tears.

Queen Elizabeth's coffin lay in the centre of Westminster Hall on a purple catafalque placed on a red platform.

It was covered by the Royal Standard flag and topped with the Imperial State Crown placed on a cushion, alongside a wreath of flowers.

Soldiers and Beefeaters - the red-coated warders usually found guarding the Tower of London - stood vigil with bowed heads.

Among the first inside was Kenneth Taylor, 72, from Reading in southern England, who had come with a neighbour and stayed overnight in a tent in the queue.

Tearing up, Taylor said that on seeing the Queen lying in state, he felt sad.

"A lump came to my throat," he said.

"You know, we've lost someone special. Her service to this country was really steadfast and unswerving. She's probably what I would call the queen of queens."

The casket had been brought to the hall from Buckingham Palace atop a gun carriage and escorted by soldiers in scarlet ceremonial uniforms in a solemn procession on Wednesday afternoon.

King Charles, his sons Princes William and Harry and other senior royals walked behind - the two princes united in grief despite a rift between them. Harry marks his 38th birthday on Thursday.

William and his wife Kate will travel to the royal residence of Sandringham in eastern England on Thursday to view floral tributes left there by members of the public.

The full-scale ceremonial procession on the day of the Queen's funeral is likely to be one of the biggest the country has ever witnessed and will pose a huge security challenge.

Royalty, presidents and other world leaders are expected to attend, although certain nations - including Russia, Afghanistan, and Syria - were not extended invites.

US President Joe Biden, who has said he will be there, spoke to the new king on Wednesday and "conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen", the White House said.

© RAW 2022

King Charles, his sons Princes William and Harry and other senior royals will join a solemn procession as Queen Elizabeth's coffin is taken from Buckingham Palace to lie in state in parliament.

After the Queen's death last week at her summer home of Balmoral Castle in Scotland, her coffin was taken to Edinburgh for a series of ceremonies. It was then flown to London late on Tuesday.

Tens of thousands of people lined the 22km route in driving rain and cars parked up on normally busy roads to see the well-lit hearse driving slowly through the dark towards Buckingham Palace, drawing applause, cheers and the honking of car horns.

At the palace, the flag-draped coffin was met by Charles and all the Queen's children, grandchildren and their spouses who had gathered together for the first time since their matriarch died.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys," said Elizabeth's daughter Anne, 72, who flew from Scotland alongside the coffin. "Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting."

The Queen's death, at the age of 96, has plunged the nation into mourning for a monarch who had reigned for 70 years.

On Wednesday, the Imperial State Crown will be placed on top of the coffin, along with a wreath. Prayers will be said with Charles and other royals present.

At 2.22 pm (11.22pm AEST) it will be placed on a gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery to be taken through central London to Westminster Hall, a medieval building with origins dating back to 1097 that is the oldest building on the parliamentary estate.

Charles will walk in silence behind the carriage with other senior royals, including his siblings Anne, Andrew and Edward.

Also in the procession will be his sons William, 40, now the Prince of Wales, and Harry, 37, the Duke of Sussex, whose once close relationship has deteriorated in recent years to such an extent that they were said to barely be on speaking terms.

However, they appeared together with their wives when they met well-wishers outside Windsor Castle on Saturday, in a show of unity which hinted at a possible rapprochement.

Kate, William's wife and now the Princess of Wales, and Harry's wife, Meghan, will travel by car, as will Charles' wife Camilla, now the Queen Consort.

With much of central London closed to traffic, large crowds are expected to line the route to watch Wednesday's procession, which will be accompanied by guns firing every minute at Hyde Park, while parliament's Big Ben bell will toll.

When the cortege reaches Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster, the coffin will be carried inside by soldiers from the Grenadier Guards and placed on a catafalque. There will be a short service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual head of the Anglican Church.

Four days of lying in state will then begin until the funeral on September 19.

The full-scale ceremonial procession on the day of her funeral is likely to be one of the biggest the country has ever witnessed.

With as many as 750,000 mourners expected to file past the coffin during its period of lying-in-state, people queued and slept on the streets in the rain to be able to pay their final respects.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime event to honour a once-in-a-lifetime woman," said Andrew Israels-Swenson from Minnesota, who said his 82-year-old British mother asked him to attend to "represent the family."

The government has warned the queue to file past the coffin could stretch for up to almost 8km along the bank of the River Thames.

"You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving," the government said.

© RAW 2022

King Charles, his sons Princes William and Harry and other senior royals will join a solemn procession as Queen Elizabeth's coffin is taken from Buckingham Palace to lie in state in parliament.

After the Queen's death last week at her summer home of Balmoral Castle in Scotland, her coffin was taken to Edinburgh for a series of ceremonies , and was flown to London late on Tuesday.

Tens of thousands of people lined the 22km route in driving rain and cars stopped on normally busy roads to see the well-lit hearse driving slowly through the dark towards Buckingham Palace, drawing applause and cheers.

At the palace, the flag-draped coffin was met by Charles and all the Queen's children, grandchildren and their spouses who had gathered together for the first time since their matriarch died.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys," said Elizabeth's daughter Anne, 72, who flew from Scotland alongside the coffin. "Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting."

The Queen's death, at the age of 96, has plunged the nation into mourning for a monarch who had reigned for 70 years.

People started queuing in the streets late on Tuesday to be one of the first to file past the coffin when the official lying in state period begins later on Wednesday.

"She really did hold up her oath of doing everything she could for this country," said Veronica Lewis, 52, from Worthing, southern England.

On Wednesday, the Imperial State Crown will be placed on top of the coffin, along with a wreath, at Buckingham Palace.

From there it will move at 2.22pm on a gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery through central London to Westminster Hall, a medieval building with origins dating back to 1097 that is the oldest on the parliamentary estate.

Charles will walk in silence behind the carriage with other senior royals, including his siblings Anne, Andrew and Edward.

Also in the procession will be his sons William, 40, now the Prince of Wales, and Harry, 37, the Duke of Sussex, whose once close relationship has deteriorated in recent years to such an extent that they were said to barely be on speaking terms.

However, they appeared together with their wives when they met well-wishers outside Windsor Castle on Saturday, in a show of unity which hinted at a possible rapprochement.

Kate, William's wife and now the Princess of Wales, and Harry's wife, Meghan, will travel by car, as will Charles' wife Camilla, now the Queen Consort.

With much of central London closed to traffic, large crowds were building along the route to watch Wednesday's procession, which will be accompanied by guns firing every minute at Hyde Park, while parliament's Big Ben bell will toll.

When the cortege reaches Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster, the coffin will be carried inside by soldiers from the Grenadier Guards and placed on a catafalque. There will be a short service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual head of the Anglican Church.

Four days of lying in state will then begin until the funeral on September 19.

The full-scale ceremonial procession on the day of her funeral, is likely to be one of the biggest the country has ever witnessed.

With as many as 750,000 mourners expected to file past the coffin during its period of lying in state, people queued and slept on the streets in the rain to be able to pay their final respects.

The government has warned the queue could stretch for up to almost 8km along the southern bank of the River Thames.

"You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving," the government said.

"She's an icon of icons," mourner Chris Imafidon said. "I must at least endure this camping out of respect."

© RAW 2022