The continuous watch inside Westminster Hall is being kept by the King's Body Guards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, the Royal Company of Archers, the Yeomen of the Guard assisted by the Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London and by Officers of the Household Division during the lying in state and lying at rest.
Each watch lasts for six hours, with individuals within those watches keeping vigil for 20 minutes at a time.
The royal vigil on Friday evening took place alongside the military watch and was similar to the one the Queen's children held in St. Giles' Cathedral in Scotland earlier this week.
The Queen's eight grandchildren are expected to take the same spot on Saturday evening when it will be their time to stand vigil beside their grandmother's coffin.
Prince William, the Prince of Wales, will stand at the head of the coffin, and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, will stand at its foot. The source added that the Prince of Wales will be flanked by Zara Tindall and Peter Philips, who are the children of Princess Anne. The Duke of Sussex will be flanked by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the daughters of Prince Andrew, alongside Prince Edward's children, Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn.
King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort visited Wales earlier on Friday, meeting members of public and receiving a motion of condolences.
The King said that he was taking up his new duties as the monarch with "immense gratitude for the privilege of having been able to serve as Prince of Wales."
"It must surely be counted the greatest privilege to belong to a land that can inspire such devotion," he said. Speaking in Welsh, the King said that his son, Prince William, who has taken over the title of Prince of Wales from his father, has "a deep love for Wales."
But the new King also encountered some signs of disapproval on Friday. When he arrived at Cardiff Castle in the afternoon, he was greeted with both cheers and boos.
While many people in the crowd were cheering and waving flags, some protestors were booing loudly. King Charles appeared to be shaking his head slightly as his car drove by and into the castle.
After his return to London and before joining the vigil at Westminster Hall, Charles held a reception for faith leaders in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace, the palace said in a statement.
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