Guidance

Procession for the Lying-in-State of Her Majesty The Queen

Updated 18 September 2022

About the Lying-in-State procession

On Wednesday 14 September a ceremonial procession will transport the coffin of Her Majesty The Queen from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament, where the Lying-in-State will begin.

The procession will start at Buckingham Palace at 2:22pm.

It will proceed along The Mall, Horse Guards Road, across Horse Guards Parade and onto Whitehall to Parliament Square and into the Palace of Westminster.

View or download a map of the procession route and viewing areas.

Her Majesty The Queen will Lie-in-State at the Palace of Westminster until Monday 19 September. Members of the public may visit to pay their respects. If you are planning to visit, please follow the separate guidance on attending the Lying-in-State, and be aware that extremely long queues are expected.

How to watch the the Lying-in-State procession

• All processions and services will be broadcast on national television and radio.
• You can watch the procession in person at the ceremonial viewing areas along the processional route.
• You can also watch at the screening site in Hyde Park where the ceremonial procession will be shown on large screens.

Access to all sites is free. The viewing areas and screening site will open at 11am on 14 September.

Read the information below carefully if you are planning to attend. Please be aware that large crowds are expected, and there are likely to be delays on public transport and road closures around the area.

There will be walking routes in place from nearby stations. Check the Transport for London and National Rail Enquiries websites for the latest information before you travel.

How to get to London

You can plan your journey using the Transport for London and National Rail Enquiries websites. You can find up-to-date travel information by following National Rail Enquiries on Twitter or downloading the TfL Go app.

For those travelling into London, the main National Rail stations are:

• Blackfriars
• Cannon Street
• Charing Cross
• Euston
• King’s Cross
• Liverpool Street
• London Bridge
• Marylebone
• Paddington
• London St Pancras
• Victoria
• Waterloo
• Waterloo East

Watch the procession in person (ceremonial viewing areas)

You can watch the Lying-in-State procession in person at the ceremonial viewing areas along the processional route.

The viewing areas will open at 11am on 14 September. Capacity will be limited and people will be admitted in order of arrival time. If you leave the area, readmission cannot be guaranteed.

How to get to the ceremonial viewing areas

The viewing areas along the procession route are listed below, along with recommended stations (London Underground or National Rail station) for each area. There will be signs or staff to direct you towards the viewing areas, and police and stewards can direct you to the entrance.

View or download a map of the procession route and viewing areas or the facilities at the procession route viewing areas.

Please note that large crowds are expected, and be prepared to queue to enter. Follow the directions given by stewards and the police, who will monitor crowd numbers and ensure everyone can enter safely and securely.

If the viewing area you intend to visit is full when you arrive, you will be directed to the screening site in Hyde Park where the ceremonial procession will be shown on large screens.

There will be dedicated areas for people with accessibility requirements at the Green Park side of The Mall, and the St James’s Park side of The Mall. Please read the section on accessibility for more information.

After the procession, you will exit the viewing area through the point you entered. Police and stewards will help direct you to entrances and exits, and to nearby transport hubs.

Viewing area	Recommended stations
Green Park side of The Mall Accessible viewing places available	Piccadilly Circus London Underground Charing Cross London Underground, National Rail Green Park (accessible route only) London Underground This station has step-free access. Please only use this station if you require step-free access or are unable to walk for more than 10 minutes.
St James’s Park side of The Mall and Horse Guards Road Accessible viewing places available	Victoria London Underground, National Rail This station has step-free access.
Horse Guards Parade ground	Charing Cross London Underground, National Rail Embankment London Underground Temple London Underground Waterloo London Underground, National Rail
Whitehall (West), Parliament Street (West), and Great George Street	Victoria London Underground, National Rail This station has step-free access. Westminster London Underground
Whitehall (East), Parliament Street (East), and Bridge Street	Embankment London Underground Waterloo London Underground, National Rail Temple London Underground Charing Cross London Underground, National Rail

Plan your journey

Plan your journey using the Transport for London or National Rail Enquiries websites, or download the TfL Go app app for up-to-date service information.

Please note that the areas in and around Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St James’s Park and Green Park will be very crowded, and the National Rail and London Underground stations in these areas will be very busy.

It may be necessary for short-term safety measures to be put in place at transport stations, such as queuing, closures, trains not stopping at certain stations, or changes to the way customers enter or exit a station.

Check Transport for London’s latest travel information and the National Rail Enquiries website before you travel, and allow more time than usual for your journey.

Watch the procession at the Hyde Park screening site

You can also watch the Lying-in-State procession at the screening site in Hyde Park, where the ceremonial procession will be shown on large screens.

The Hyde Park screening site will open at 11am on 14 September. Recommended access to the screening site is from the north side of Hyde Park, from Marlborough Gate to Marble Arch. There will be a number of large screens placed across the Parade Ground, facing east.

Please note that large crowds are expected. Follow the directions given by stewards and police, who will monitor crowd numbers and ensure everyone remains safe and secure.

How to get to the Hyde Park screening site

Recommended access to the screening site is from the north side of Hyde Park, from Marlborough Gate to Marble Arch.

There will be signs showing the walking route. Please follow the directions given by stewards and the police, who will direct you to the screening site.

There is a dedicated area for people with accessibility requirements. Please read the section on accessibility for more information.

View or download a map Hyde Park screening site.

The best ways to get to the Hyde Park screening site are public transport, walking and cycling.

It is recommended that you travel to Hyde Park from one of the following London Underground stations. There will be signs showing the walking route to the viewing area, and police and stewards can help to direct you to the entrance.

• Bond Street
• Oxford Circus
• Paddington
• Marble Arch
• Tottenham Court Road

Plan your journey

Plan your journey using the Transport for London or National Rail Enquiries websites, or download the TfL Go app for up-to-date service information.

Please note that the areas in and around Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St James’s Park and Green Park will be very crowded, and the National Rail and London Underground stations in these areas will be very busy.

It may be necessary for short-term safety measures to be put in place at transport stations, such as queuing, closures, trains not stopping at certain stations, or changes to the way customers enter or exit a station.

Check Transport for London’s latest travel information and the National Rail Enquiries website before you travel, and allow more time than usual for your journey.

Accessibility

Designated viewing areas for people with accessibility or mobility requirements are available at some locations. People using these areas may be accompanied by one carer or companion. All accessible viewing areas are at ground level.

If you have accessibility or mobility issues, stewards will be available in the viewing areas and screening sites to help you locate the accessible viewing areas. Accessible viewing spaces are limited, and people will be admitted in order of arrival time.

Welfare points will be available in each viewing area and screening site, so that further assistance can be provided if needed.

Accessible viewing areas for the Lying-in–State procession

There will be dedicated areas for people with accessibility or mobility requirements at the following viewing areas:

• Green Park side of The Mall
• St James’s Park side of The Mall

These areas will have British Sign Language Interpreters and a hearing loop.

View or download a map of the accessible areas at the procession route.

Accessible viewing areas at the Hyde Park screening site

• There is a dedicated area for people with accessibility or mobility requirements at the Parade Ground in Hyde Park.
• There will be British Sign Language Interpreters in vision and captioning on the screen positioned in front of this area. There will also be a hearing loop in the accessible viewing area.

View or download a map Hyde Park screening site.

Transport

Visit Transport for London’s accessibility page for more information on accessible public transport information in London. You can find out how accessible each station is, and there is also a step-free journey planner. You can also follow TfLAccess on Twitter for up-to-date information on accessibility.

Transport for London offers a Turn-up-and-go service to help passengers who require additional assistance, such as people with visual impairments, mobility impairments, and large groups travelling together. This could include providing boarding ramps, help you to move through the station or interchange between trains, and suggesting alternative or step-free routes.

The Turn-up-and-go service is provided on the London Underground and London Overground, and most stations on the Elizabeth Line. You do not need to pre-book this service, just ask staff for assistance at the station.

Transport for London also provides:

• Accessible maps of London transport facilities. You can download or order tube, bus and other transport maps in alternative formats (such as audio maps, large print, black and white) and maps of toilet and baby-changing facilities.
• Maps in other languages. You can download the London Underground map in languages other than English.

What you can and cannot bring

To keep everyone safe, security measures are in place at the viewing areas and screening sites. You or your bag may be searched before you can enter.

At the procession viewing areas and the screening sites, there will be first aid facilities, toilets and concession kiosks where you can buy light refreshments. You should not bring alcohol or drinking glasses into the viewing areas or screening site.

View or download a map of the facilities at the procession route viewing areas or the Hyde Park screening site.

For more information on visiting the Royal Parks, visit the Royal Parks website.

Remember to bring:

1. Suitable clothing for the weather conditions. This might include warm, protective clothing or an umbrella in cold or wet weather, or sunscreen if you might need it.

2. Food and drinks. There will only be a limited number of concession stands available where you can buy light refreshments, so you may want to bring food and drinks with you. There will be water stations where you can refill bottles. You should not bring alcohol or drinking glasses into the viewing areas or screening site.

3. Appropriate footwear. You will be required to stand outdoors for long periods, so you are advised to wear comfortable shoes. At the Hyde Park screening site, the viewing screens are located on grassed areas, so please wear appropriate footwear and consider bringing a blanket to sit on.

You should not bring:

1. Tents, gazebos or camping equipment. Anyone who attempts to camp during the national mourning period could be asked to move on and may not be admitted. Unattended tents, bags or other items will be removed and may be destroyed.

2. Barbecues and equipment for fires.

3. Alcohol. You should not bring alcohol or drinking glasses into the viewing areas or screening site.

Conduct and behaviour

Please respect the nature of these events and behave appropriately.
If you are at the procession route, keep noise to a minimum when the procession passes you.

Stewards and police officers will be positioned within the viewing areas and screening site. Antisocial or inappropriate behaviour (including excessive consumption of alcohol, or drunken behaviour) will not be tolerated and you may be asked to leave.

You should:

1. Behave appropriately. Please respect the nature of these events, and be considerate of people around you.

2. Dispose of litter using the litter bins provided.

3. Leave viewing or screening areas quietly so you don’t disturb people who live nearby.

4. Follow the instructions of stewards and police at all times.

Attending the Lying-in-State at Westminster Palace

Her Majesty The Queen will Lie-in-State at the Palace of Westminster until Monday 19 September. Members of the public may visit to pay their respects.

If you are planning to visit, please follow the separate guidance on attending the Lying-in-State, and be aware that extremely long queues are expected.