This Morning denies Phillip and Holly skipped Queen's lying in state queue in statement

The pair were seen attending Westminster Hall where Queen Elizabeth’s lying in state is currently taking place but rumours spread that they didn’t queue up and instead gained access without the long wait endured by thousands of members of the public.

David Beckham and Susanna Reid were among crowds who queued for hours to pay their respects to the late monarch but when Phillip and Holly were spotted away from the queue, it caused rumours which suggested they had skipped the queue.

They received criticism on social media when they were spotted inside Westminster Hall on Friday without having been part of the public queue.

The Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign’s orb and sceptre rest on the coffin of the Queen at her lying in state (Marko Djurica/PA) (Image: Marko Djurica/PA)

The statement released by This Morning says: “Hello everyone, we would like to clarify something.

“We asked Phillip and Holly to be part of a film for this Tuesday’s programme.

“They did not jump the queue, have VIP access or file past the Queen lying in state – but instead were there in a professional capacity as part of the world’s media to report on the event.”

What to expect from the Queen's funeral

To gain access to Westminster Hall, some media and MPS have been able to bypass the queue since its doors opened to the public on Wednesday.

In the days since it opened, the queue has grown in size and it even reached a wait time of “at least 24 hours” before dropping.

There’s also a live broadcast of the Queen's lying in state and a number of broadcasters including the BBC and Sky News have broadcast regular coverage of the event.

Queen Elizabeth II's funeral is taking place on Monday, September 19.