By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A royal guard on Wednesday fainted at the podium while holding vigil next to the Queen’s coffin as she lies in state inside the Palace of Westminster.
A viral video shows the guard, who is dressed in a black uniform, at first appearing to stumble from his position on the catafalque, an elevated platform where the Queen’s coffin is placed.
He sways unsteadily, steps off the platform for a moment, then gets back up and takes his place.
The crowd audibly gasps when he abruptly falls forward and lands face-first on the ground a little while later.
However, it is unclear whether he sustained any injury.
The BBC also suspended its live coverage after the guard fainted.
Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state was opened to the public at 5 pm on Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of mourners queuing to pay their final respect to the monarch following her death at on Thursday.
The Queen’s coffin, which has been placed on a raised platform called a catafalque, is being guarded round the clock by units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division, or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.
