Some mourners waited up to twenty-four hours to view the Queen laying in state, and now some enterprising well-wishers hope to make a profit by selling their wristbands on eBay.
The wristbands distributed to those in line to visit the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall are being offered on eBay for four times their original price.
After paying their respects to the Queen, some mourners have hurriedly listed their used wristbands for sale on an online marketplace, with the highest price so far being £199.99.
At least five of the vibrant bands have already been sold on the website, with many more auctions finishing in the coming days.
Even though the auction does not end until Tuesday, a bright orange ring that was only released today, on Saturday, has already achieved a price of £1000. The seller has added free shipping to sweeten the offer.
Two dark green bands, which the seller claims she and her daughter used on Thursday during an eight-hour wait to file past the casket, have received a bid of £396 plus £3.35 in postage from Derby (at time of writing).
Yellow accessible queue bands are also available for purchase on the website, with one vendor offering to send “two newspapers acquired on the day at Westminster” in addition to their two yellow accessible bands.
In addition, some mourners were able to remove their bands without breaking the seal, selling them “intact.”
One vendor initially listed their band, which they said was from the first day of the line, for £22,000, but eventually withdrew the listing.
Despite the option to purchase a wristband online, customers will not be able to use them to bypass the line because they are non-reusable.
The colored and numbered bands have been distributed by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) to assist in the management of the massive crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the Queen in the state. Each day, the quantity and hues of the bands vary.
The DCMS website describes the queuing procedure, stating that the band is “a record of when you joined the line.”
In addition, “wearing a wristband does not guarantee entrance to the Lying-in-State” stated.
The site continues: “The wristbands are unique to each individual entering the queue and are non-transferable. This bracelet must be worn at all times, as it will be examined throughout the course.”
Bands permit mourners to leave the line to use the restroom or obtain refreshments. With some individuals waiting in line for approximately 24 hours, such breaks are important.
When queried about the online sale of worn wristbands: “Access wristbands to the Lying-in-State are single-use, provided by stewards, and may only be used by the person to whom they were granted. Access will be denied to anyone who has not followed the correct procedures.”
Since Wednesday, the Queen has been laying in state, with her children attending a vigil on Friday and her grandchildren conducting one on Saturday evening.
