Wait times to see the Queen lying in state reached 25 hours overnight despite bitter temperatures on the streets.
Crowds huddled in coats and jumpers as they waited in the line, which was five miles long at its peak overnight.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) online tracker said the expected wait time was at least 25 hours at 1.15am as the queue snaked back to Southwark Park, southeast London.
Although temperatures dipped below 10C, well-wishers were undeterred to pay their emotional respects at Westminster Hall.
People were stopped from joining the queue yesterday but the line became accessible again near Southwark Park by 8am today, the authorities said.
Writing on the tracker at 9.30am, DCMS said the waiting time was 16 hours, though there are warnings entry to the queue may once again be paused if the park reaches capacity.
"If the park reaches capacity, entry to the queue will be paused," the authority said in a tweet.
Tatie Kirst, 38, of Canada Water, southeast London, had joined the queue at its peak overnight.
The project manager said: "Well, it’s a journey right?
“I think I’m prepared, I brought my good coat, I have a stool if I need to sit, I’m getting food and water, and we’re going to walk the way.
“I think there is always a question, Is it worth it? Can I make it? And hopefully, yes.
“I wanted to be part of this, pay my respect to the Queen.”
The queue was at “near total capacity with wait times of at least 24 hours” by 5am, the DCMS said.
James Birchall, 33, a trainee physiotherapist who travelled from Liverpool to pay his respects, was also queuing.
He said: “Now I just feel normal and unemotional but as I get closer and closer (to the Queen’s coffin) I think I’ll start to become more emotional and maybe five minutes before I go in I’ll probably, even though I don’t look like the type of person, I’ll probably start crying.
“I absolutely loved the Queen, she was great, she had been there all my life, I have always had respect for her. She was great for our country, always did her duty right until she died.
“When she died I was overcome with emotion and I thought, I have got to come to London to see it.”
On the thousands of people queuing, he added: “I’m absolutely amazed because there is so many people, young and old — I did not think young people would come, necessarily, because they are not really in tune with monarchy, but there’s so many young people here to pay their respects which I think is awesome.”
Also queuing was Vlasta Picker, 73, of Bedford, who said: “I came here in 1977 on the Silver Jubilee.
“Growing up in central Europe, monarchy was a thing of the past, history.
“I was really quite mesmerised, it was massive in 1977 and I have admired her ever since because she was a wonderful person, unique.
“To serve all her life until the end, it’s something, isn’t it? Unprecedented. And that’s why I want to be here.”
Those inside Westminster Hall were briefly shocked on Friday night when a man was arrested after moving out of the queue to approach the Queen’s coffin.
Metropolitan Police said the incident occurred around 10pm, as the live feed from inside the hall cut away for a brief period.
A statement from Scotland Yard said: “Around 22:00hrs on Friday 16 September officers from the Met’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command detained a man in Westminster Hall following a disturbance.
“He was arrested for an offence under the Public Order Act and is currently in custody.”
Earlier on Friday, the queue was paused for 40 minutes when it reached capacity, and when it reopened mourners were urged by the DCMS not to join the line until at least 4pm.
They were allowed to rejoin but the wait time increased again last night.
