Key timings for the Queen's funeral confirmed as King Charles to hold a vigil today - live updates

There will be no bin collections on Monday as a mark of respect for The Queen’s state funeral.

You can find details on the alternative arrangements here:

Mourners have been warned by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) not to attempt to join the queue at Southwark Park in south-east London until around 4pm on Friday at the earliest.

The call was made as the official estimate for queuing time reached at least 14 hours, before a warning was also issued about long wait times at the “very busy” accessible queue.

However, there was some confusion on the ground as hundreds of people continued to file through the gate into the park, with one attendant saying they had yet to receive an order to bar entry.

The DCMS had tweeted: “Southwark Park has reached capacity. Entry will be paused for at least 6 hours. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

“Please do not attempt to join the queue until it re-opens.”

Tens of thousands of people have queued for many hours to see the monarch’s coffin raised on a catafalque in Westminster Hall since it officially opened on Wednesday.

With people waiting through the night to witness the lying in state, the queue had grown to almost five miles long by Friday morning.

Civic friends old and new have extended their sympathies to Leeds following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

A number of Leeds’ twin cities around the world have written letters to the Lord Mayor of Leeds expressing their sadness at the passing of Her Majesty.

Lille, France

Lille has been twinned with Leeds for more than 50 years.

The tribute from the Mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry, hails Her Majesty as a “queen for Europe” who will forever occupy a special place in world history.

She also confirms in her letter that her city’s main square will be lit up in the colours of the United Kingdom’s flag on Monday, September 19, the day of the Queen’s funeral.

Dortmund, Germany

Dortmun has been twinned with Leeds for more than 50 years.

The Mayor of Dortmund, Thomas Westphal, writes in his letter: “The Queen has been an inspiration to us all here in Dortmund and Germany. We mourn with you the loss of the most outstanding monarch of our time, who dedicated her whole life to the United Kingdom and to her people through selfless service.”

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Coun Robert Gettings, was due to travel to Dortmund this week to mark 2019’s 50th anniversary of Leeds’s twinning agreement with the German city, but the visit – already delayed by the pandemic – has been put on hold again following the Queen’s death. He was also due to visit Siegen during his time in Germany.

Siegen, Germany

Siegen has twinning arrangements with Morley and Leeds that date back to 1966 and 1972 respectively.

In his letter, the Mayor of Siegen, Steffen Mues, says the Queen will “always be remembered as standing strong for the friendship and solidarity between the German and British people”.

He adds: “The citizens of Siegen mourn with the citizens of Leeds in great sorrow for the loss of Her Majesty.”

Brno, Czech Republic

Brno has been one of Leeds’s twin cities since the early 2000s.

Reminiscing about a visit paid by Her Majesty to Brno in 1996, she adds: “[We] will never forget the friendliness, elegance, style and joy with which she carried out her duties.”

Kharkiv, Ukraine

The city has been working with Leeds in recent months to explore new ways of co-operation between the two.

In his letter, the Mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, says he wants to “extend heartfelt condolences to [the] citizens of Leeds and all subjects of Her Majesty”.

Kharkiv, which has been subjected to intense shelling in the months since Russia invaded Ukraine, already shares twin city status with Lille and Brno.

Entry to the queue to see the Queen lying in state has been paused for “at least” six hours after Southwark Park reached capacity, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DMCS) said.

These were the scenes early this morning as people who had waited all night remained in the queue stretching through central London.

(Pictures by Kirsty O’Connor/PA Wire)

Southwark Park, which marks the end of the queue to see the Queen lying in state, is “extremely busy” and close to capacity, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DMCS) said.

As of 9.08am on Friday, the DCMS tweeted: “Southwark Park is extremely busy. Entry to the queue will be paused if it reaches capacity.

“If you are planning to join, please consider waiting until numbers have reduced.”

Katherine Jenkins has said the music chosen for the Queen’s memorial events has been “wonderful” in helping to set the tone and “bring out our emotions”.

Choirs and marching bands have performed at services of thanksgiving and ceremonial occasions over the last week, including the procession carrying the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall for her lying in state.

The 42-year-old classical singer, who performed for the Queen many times, told BBC’s Breakfast: “The music, I think, has been so important.

“It’s just been so wonderful in creating the correct atmosphere and to bring out our emotions.”

She added that she thinks the singing in Westminster Hall has been “really beautiful”.

“Obviously, these things are planned well in advance but I compliment it greatly. I think they sound beautiful and I’m looking forward to seeing what music will be chosen on Monday.”

Jenkins was selected to record a new version of God Save The King for BBC Radio 4 last Friday following the death of the Queen.

She recorded the national anthem in a small church in a remote area of Sussex and had a moment of silence and prayer before “singing from the heart”.