Queen Elizabeth II lies-in-state, Prince William, Prince Harry prepared to stand

Prince William stopped to chat with two boys as he worked his way down the line of mourners queued up to pay their respects to his grandmother’s coffin.

The Prince of Wales
was heard asking if they were warm enough and if they slept overnight as they waited.

He was heard giving encouraging words to mourners as they stood next to the Thames river near Westminster, letting them know they were almost to the palace.

Authorities have warned the wait could be at least 16 hours.

Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, shook hands and thanked the thousands of mourners who have joined the hours-long queue to see the Queen’s coffin.

King Charles III also thanked the people standing in line, but left before his son.

Both Royals were surrounded by bodyguards as they walked down the path greeting people.

William waived to the mourners as he departed.

King Charles III and Prince William visited mourners Saturday in the hours long queue along the Thames near Westminster as thousands line up to see the Queen’s coffin.

The King received three cheers from supporters and shouts of “God save the King.”

While William appeared to joke around with some of the people lined up and said his grandmother would never have believed the outpouring support she has received following her death on Sep. 8.

Officials have warned people against joining the queue which is not expected to take people at least 16 hours to get through.

Mourners continue to gather outside Windsor Castle, the royal residence, in the lead up to the queen’s funeral Monday.

Flowers and notes have been continuously brought by Brits as thousands more wait in line in London to pay their respects to the Queen at Westminster Hall.

The flowers and notes are reportedly taken in each night to allow room for more the next day.

The Prince of Wales, William, and his younger brother Prince Harry will stand vigil Saturday over their grandmother’s coffin.

While the King’s Body Guards are keeping a continuous vigil, family members of the Royal family also take turns standing vigil.

Each Watch lasts six hours, with individuals within those watches keeping vigil for 20 minutes. 

The King and his three siblings stood vigil over the queen Friday.

Mourners continue to endure lengthy wait times to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said mourners could wait between 16 to 24 hours in a queue that has extended from the Palace of Westminster to Southwark, nearly 7 miles away from the Queen’s current resting place.

Over night the U.K. government warned the queue had reached “near total capacity with a wait time of at least 25 hours” and advised people not to join the line.