Mourners from all walks of life filed past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II through the night as she lay in state in London's ancient Westminster Hall, paying their final respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch before her funeral on Monday.

After days of processions and ritual as the queen's body was brought to London from Balmoral, Scotland, where she died last Thursday at the age of 96, this was the opportunity for ordinary people to take a direct part in a ceremony. Many were in tears as they passed by the flag-draped coffin.

Officials expect some 750,000 people to view it before the lying in state ends at on Monday.