The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell joined those at the start of the queue on Tuesday evening and sang a hymn with them, before helping the group order takeaway to the Lambeth Palace address.

Mr Cottrell Tweeted a picture of himself with three of the mourners at the front of the queue.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell with mourners in London (Image: Twitter@cottrellstephen)

He Tweeted: "These amazing ladies are numbers one, two and three in the queue to pay their last respects to our late Majesty the Queen. I chatted with them this evening and we sang the first verse of Praise my soul the King of heaven. Wonderful!"

When asked by a well-wisher in the queue if he could use Lambeth Palace as a point to pick up a Deliveroo pizza delivery, Mr Cottrell is reported by MailOnline to have said: "Yes. And if anyone has a problem with it tell them the Archbishop of York says it's ok."

Mr Cottrell again visited the queue on Wednesday, joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, who said it will be “very, very emotional” to see the Queen’s coffin as he conducts the service for the lying in state in Westminster Hall.

Members of the public join the queue on the South Bank, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday. Picture: PA (Image: PA)

The two archbishops visited the front of the queue of thousands of people waiting to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II shortly after midday.

The pair departed from Lambeth Palace and met mourners from across the country and from as far as California, offering thanks to those who had come to queue and joining some in prayer.

Members of the public join the queue on the South Bank, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday. Picture: PA (Image: PA)

Mr Welby, wearing purple robes and a black mourning band, told the PA news agency: “I think it’s going to be very, very emotional, as it always is for everyone, wherever they are.

“I was a parish priest for years, the moment when you see a coffin, particularly when you’re one of the family, it pierces to the heart, there’ll be so many people who know exactly what the family are feeling as human beings.”

He spoke of the first time he met the late monarch on the 60th anniversary of her coronation, and talked of her “gift” of putting people at ease.

The archbishop said: “I was so nervous and I found myself sitting next to her at lunch afterwards, and that made me even more nervous.

“But she just turned, and her gift of putting one at ease, she made a quick joke and we both laughed and off we went. And after that you felt much more relaxed.”

Members of the public join the queue on the South Bank, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday. Picture: PA (Image: PA)

Mr Welby described greeting the mourners queuing to attend the lying in state as “moving”, adding: “They weren’t eccentric or whatever, they were just normal people who were coming from all kinds of places, one from California, to say thank you, and I found that really moving.”

Mr Welby also stopped to take selfies with members of the public who were waiting in line, and told those waiting that it was an “amazing” thing to do, and that they were “doing it for those who cannot be here as well”.