Miles Of Mourners For Queen Mother

Thousands of mourners lined up for a fourth day Monday to pay their final respects to the Queen Mother, while a few devoted fans camped on the streets to get the best spots for the funeral.

The line of mourners waiting to file into Parliament's Westminster Hall snaked through the city and along the River Thames, even though some 200,000 people had filed pass the coffin during the weekend. The Queen Mother died March 30 at age 101.

Queen Elizabeth II was expected to pay tribute to her mother in a televised address Monday from Windsor Castle and thank all those who had waited for up to 12 hours to pay their respects.

The Queen Mother's grandsons, princes Charles, Andrew, Edward and the late Princess Margaret's son Viscount Linley, were to mount a royal vigil at the coffin Monday.

``Something like this just proves that the royals keep this country together,'' said World War II veteran William Anderson, 83, who waited in line.

``It means everything to me. She was the greatest woman on earth,'' he added.

Some mourners began camping on London's sidewalks Sunday night to claim the best vantage points to watch Tuesday's funeral procession.

Canadian Margaret Kittle, 67, said she had flown from her home in Winona near Niagara Falls for the spectacle.

``I try to come over for all the royal events,'' she said. ``I stayed out two nights before Princess Diana's funeral. I want the queen to know Canadians support the royal family and the Commonwealth and she needs our support,'' she added.

The huge, and unexpected, demand from the public to say farewell to the Queen Mother prompted officials to extend the opening hours of Westminster Hall until dawn on Tuesday just hours before the coffin is to be carried in procession to nearby Westminster Abbey for the funeral service.

At Westminster Abbey, florists were creating displays with more than 2,000 blooms chosen from the Queen Mother's favorite English flowers.

Scores of lights have been installed in the 13th century building to enable a television broadcast of the funeral and security was being checked for the biggest official ceremony in Britain in several years.

In addition to Laura Bush and the leaders of Australia, New Zealand and Canada, kings and queens, princes and dukes from other royal families around the world will travel to London for the service.