Royal watchers stake out positions for funeral

(AP) -While thousands of mourners line up along the River Thames to pay their last respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, others are already staking out prime viewing locations in the heart of London for the late monarch’s funeral on Monday.

Shirin Thorpe, 62, from Sevenoaks south of the English capital, arrived Thursday and was camped out Saturday near Westminster subway station. It’s near the historic hall where the queen is lying in state and Westminster Abbey, where her funeral will be held.

She says, “There’s going to be millions of people here and we didn’t want to miss the chance.”

Thorpe and her friends are well prepared for a few nights of camping amid cold temperatures: They’ve brought inflatable mattresses, sleeping bags, winter coats and battery packs to keep gadgets running. They have hung Union Jack flags from security barriers and added a photograph of Elizabeth.

While the sun was shining Saturday, Thorpe says she’s ready to brave worse weather should it come.

She says, “We’re tough women like the Queen.”

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