Mourners waiting in the queue to see the Queen lying-in-state reportedly fainted and were "treated like animals".
Dedicated royal fans had been waiting up to 11 hours to catch a final glimpse of Her Majesty's coffin in Westminster Hall before the queue was temporarily shut earlier this morning, and the gathered masses stopped at nothing to say their last goodbyes – even if it means going hungry or queueing up overnight.
Horror stories have emerged from the queue, detailing how some mourners were even forced to go without water.
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One described how the atmosphere in the now-infamous queue had been "jolly" until queuers reached Victoria Gardens, where scouts on patrol reportedly seized all liquids.
The queuer, who waited from 7pm to 4am on Wednesday night, said: "We were in Victoria Gardens for four hours. Once in this area, there was nowhere to buy water and no toilets, there were no police officers inside there, no medical staff.
"There was no queue control, no announcements, no updates. There must have been thousands of us packed in there. People were dropping like flies, literally dropping to their knees. Someone fainted every five minutes. You'd hear people shouting 'can we have a medic please!'
"You were essentially treated like a caged animal. It was absolutely ridiculous. I thought there was going to be a riot at one point. We were waiting four hours with no food and no water. It was absolutely atrocious how we were treated."
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Meanwhile, users took to Twitter to share their experiences of the five-mile-long queue.
But despite the seemingly miserable conditions, plenty of Brits said the lengthy wait was worth it once they paid their final respects to the late Queen.
One said: "It took nine hours, but as soon as I stepped inside Westminster Hall and felt the quiet history of the place I knew it was worth it. The tears started, predictably, as soon as I saw the coffin."
Others shared mythical tales of what has been dubbed "the snake", a section of the queue near Westminster Hall where it zig-zags and mourners face security that has reportedly taken some mourners hours to get past.
One said: "If you’re in the queue past Lambeth Bridge stay strong. The snake is the worst bit.
"Get a tea and use the loo by the entrance if you can. Once you’re past security is quick.
"Being in the hall is exceptionally moving. Not a dry eye. So glad we did it."
Another revealed: "This is the snake queue from hell. There are two parts to this. God speed if you are here"
A third recalled: "Almost 12 hours door to door, 18500 steps, approx 8 miles in total with the snake, my feet are killing me but worth it, 100% worth it."
The Queen is set to lie in state until her funeral on Monday (September 19).
The historic day has been declared a Bank Holiday as mourners from across the world are set to grieve the loss of the UK's longest-reigning monarch.
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