Nationwide minute’s silence for the Queen at 8pm on Sunday

Downing Street will lead the nation in a minute’s silence to honour the Queen this weekend.

The public will be invited to ‘mourn and reflect on the life and legacy’ of Britain’s longest serving monarch at 8pm on Sunday – the night before Her Majesty’s state funeral.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Liz Truss said: ‘At 8pm on Sunday 18 September, the night before the state funeral, there will be a one-minute silence where the public are invited to come together and observe a national moment of reflection to mourn and reflect on the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.

‘The silence can be marked privately at home on your own or with friends and neighbours, out on your doorstep or street with neighbours, or at any locally arranged community events and vigils.’

People in local community groups are encouraged to take part – with those overseas urged to mark the silence at their local time.

‘The shared national moment of reflection is an opportunity for everyone across the UK to mark the death of Her Majesty and we will set out details of where the Prime Minister will mark it closer to that time,’ Number 10 said.

Westminster Hall will be open 24 hours a day from 5pm on Wednesday, September 14th until 6.30am on Monday, to allow members of the public to view the Queen’s coffin after the death of Britain’s longest serving monarch.

But people hoping to pay their final respects could face 20-hour queues to see Her Majesty lying in state.

In guidance published by the government today, mourners are warned they may need to stand ‘for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving.’

This morning, King Charles III appeared emotional as he addressed parliament for the first time as Head of State following the death of his beloved mother.

The King will lead senior royals on foot in a procession behind the Queen’s cortege as it travels 1.1 miles from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral in the Edinburgh at 2.35pm this afternoon, ahead of a service of prayer and reflection.

Meanwhile Prince Harry paid a touching tribute to his ‘granny’, who he said is now ‘reunited’ with his grandpa, Prince Philip.

The Queen’s image illuminated the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, as nations across the globe paid tribute to her.

Joe Biden ordered American flags at the White House and throughout the country to be lowered to half mast until the funeral of Her Majesty.

The US President hailed her for ‘defining and era’ and described her as ‘more than a monarch’.

But Mr Biden and other foreign heads of state have been asked to take an escorted coach together to the Queen’s funeral, leaked documents suggest.

State cars are banned, with world leaders asked to fly to the UK on commercial planes ‘where possible’ before travelling ‘en masse’ from a location in west London due to ‘tight security and road restrictions’.