Melissa Stokes sees the mood in London changing after the Queen’s coffin arrived in the UK capital.
Every morning the 1News crew heads out to set up for the six o’clock news at around 5am UK time.
There’s something about being in a city in the early hours before dawn, when it’s just waking and stretching its legs. And London isn’t often quiet.
But this morning, due to a large part of the capital now being shut to traffic, we walked through Parliament Square and past Westminster Abby in silence.
London’s most famous landmark Big Ben towered over us. You can’t help but feel awed at the centuries’ old history and tradition tied up in this small part of the capital.
Usually busy and full of tourists, this morning the only other company was the many police and security guards on sentry duty.
It is still and quiet, until we hear the clip-clopping of horses carrying police officers through the streets and adding to the eerie mood of the morning.
After the 6pm news bulletin had aired back in NZ, we walked through St James’s Park to Horse Guards Parade with the London Eye ferris wheel just looming above.
This is part of the route the Queen’s coffin was due to take today. They are expecting tens of thousands to come and watch.
Security guards are everywhere, pouring through in groups to maintain their position. The Metropolitan Police are armed and plentiful.
At the end of The Mall on top of the majestic Admiralty Arch, snipers are getting comfortable.
London will look extremely different tomorrow, with some predicting a million mourners coming in to fill the city.
The eerie quiet will be gone.
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