Thread by @AAlexanderRose

In an extremely off brand move, decided to queue to see the Queen as A Bit. Open to being commissioned to write an anthropological study of royalists who are willing to devote 4+ hours to their time to quickly see a box that may or may not have an old lady in it.

Timeline so far: went to @haywardgallery to see lovely in the black fantastic exhibit closing on Sunday. 7.30pm brought my queuing friend a sandwich. It was moving at a reasonable pace so walking and talking as we went. Thought it would be funny if I stayed but hadn’t committed

8.15pm at London Eye, got wristbands which read LISQ (lying in state queue), quite exciting. Pace quickened, at one point we were practically running ! with Westminster on the other side in sight. This was ill fated naive optimism.

9.15pm. Oh dear. Arrive at Westminster faced with a US immigration style queue which rumours suggest will take 45 mins - 1hr 45. Morale is low.

10pm. We’ve been unmoving for ages. I sit down and do some yoga. Rumours now of a “changing of the guards” style security shift change. As i’m writing we start to move, to glimpse another giant zig zag on the other side of the park. Despair.

Helicopters overhead which is quite exciting! Also tried a vegetarian Percy pig for the first time. There are some Priests in fromt of us and someone in a pink Lamé suit so look out for him on the live stream.

It’s looking like we have a Long way to go and it’s quite slow but I’m simply too far gone and also my Dad said he was proud of me. Are we in the bit where it gets worse before it gets better? Could I make this into an ESRC funded study of group mentality & performative mourning?

It’s been suggested I tag #QueueForTheQueen

Overheard “it’s the 7th level of hell”. Not sure an appropriate metaphor in the circumstances (all of a sudden I am reflective about death)

It’s also at a weird stage where if you make friends in the queue, you don’t really have a natural end to the conversation because you will be standing next to them indefinitely.

The only way this will be worth it is if 1. I’m on telly 2. I go viral 3. Something dramatic and unfair happens just after I go in, like they cancel the viewing.

Current queue debate: can we verify that the Queen is actually in the coffin, and if she isn’t does it matter? Is there something fundamental about the ~feeling~ even if it isn’t real

Something quite surprising is that people aren’t really talking about the Queen? I’ve tried to manufacture some nostalgia, “wasn’t it funny when the Queen said cows!”, do you think she enjoyed doing the James Bond olympics thing, etc. but it didn’t really catch on.

You can call me The Queue Whisperer 😎

We think another hour. So 3 total to get through the palace gardens. #QueueForTheQueen at your peril

Thinking about co-writing a play for off-West End called #TheQueue, a meet-cute about an unlikely pair from opposite walks of life, brought together by their shared grief and respect, perhaps a can of Diet Coke and packet of cashew nuts.

Also the @DCMS 2.6 miles etc update is basically nonsense because the distance probably doubles just within the zig zag line in the Palace Gardens.

STILL in the zig zag. We keep on saying “it must just be another hour” in a very existential way. We can sort of see the end. But I think it will be 5 hours in the gardens. Someone got a hot chocolate but we don’t think it’s worth the queue for the cafe. Yet we are in #TheQueue

Trying to come up with inspirational reflections for LinkedIn. “Our 7 hours of waiting was nothing in comparison to your 70 years of service, Your Majesty”.

This is the Platonic ideal of a Queue. Apart from sleep I’m not sure I’ve ever done something consistently for such a long period of time. We slip in and out of remembering why we are here. Avoid the portaloos at all costs. Has there ever *been* a longer queue?

It’s become an out of body experience in that if you had told me 8 hours ago I would be doing this I just wouldn’t have believed you. In fact, I spent the first hour of #TheQueue adamant that I wasn’t in #TheQueue. There’s a sort of metaphysical pull, to be a part of history?

Actually a bit peckish now.

It’s been suggested that I’ve entered into a delirious state, and to be honest I’m not at liberty to deny that. #TheQueue

We’re at the end of Purgatory (Victoria Palace Gardens) and now we enter an aimless single file queue. Is this all a metaphor for death?

I just really didn’t think it would take this long. The arrogance of man.

ALERT no liquids at all including toiletries, hand gel, etc, allowed in #TheQueue.

Indeed, it is the light.

THEY’RE CLEANING THE HALL AND WE HAVE TO WAIT. This is May Day. We’re at wit’s end. If you’re in #TheQueue, are you sure you’re ready for this?

In light of this, there is very low morale. Conspiracy afoot. Is it cleaning / rehearsal / someone important? Those in #TheQueue are not best pleased.

Back on the move! 🙏🏻

Items confiscated by very armed police: mini pastel highlighter, beloved uniball pen, fork from my packed lunch. #TheQueue

Fin. It was very quiet and beautiful and humbling. I think worth it. #TheQueue