ORDINARY people from across Britain travelled to St James's Palace to sign a book of condolence which was opened yesterday for the nation to pay its last respects to the Queen Mother.

Many foreign nationals on holiday or living in the UK also marked the occasion.

People began queuing before the palace was opened in the morning.

Marian Russell, 59, of West Hampstead, north London, headed the queue after she slept overnight outside Buckingham Palace.

She said the news had left her shocked, and she had brought flowers and a candle to leave at the palace as a mark of respect.

She said: "I've always admired the Royal Family and Queen Mother. She was very special, and my grandmother was about the same age so I've always had a special connection with her."

The crowds flowed steadily through St James's Palace after waiting for up to 30 minutes, queuing in The Mall.

Visitors underwent security checks before being allowed in the palace's Long Corridor, where 16 books of condolence were laid out on tables for them to sign and leave a brief message.

Throughout the day, flowers were left nearby in The Mall, and more than 250 bouquets were placed on a lawn by mourners.

Some visitors chose their own way to mark the Queen Mother's death. One visitor, Ted Larkin, 81, appeared dressed in a clown's costume complete with a painted white face and red nose.

Mr Larkin, of Wandsworth, south London, said: "I'm dressed as a clown because that's how the Queen Mother knew me.

"Since 1981 I've come to Clarence House on her birthday, whenever she was at home, and when she came out and greeted the crowds she would sometimes say 'Are you here again?' and I'd reply, 'Yes Ma'am'. And she would say, 'Lovely to see you'.

"She was a lovely person. I first met her in 1942 when I was a national fireman and at that time she was Queen. I was in the guard of honour at Westminster Abbey when she attended a service, and it made me so proud to be there."

Mr Larkin, who dresses as a clown to raise money for charity, and goes under the name of Garibaldi when fundraising, said: "All I shall write in the book is 'Goodbye to a gracious lady - from Garibaldi'."

More than a thousand visitors, including many family groups and couples, had signed the books of condolence by lunchtime and the figure had more than doubled by mid-afternoon. Among them were many foreign nationals.

The Spanish Charge d'Affairs visited the palace and said: "I'm just here to pay my respects."

Many people who would not describe themselves as supporters of the Windsors found themselves queuing up to pay their respects.

Tracy Lucas, 35, a housewife from Southend-on-Sea, in Essex, who took her three children with her to St James's Palace, said: "I am not a royalist, but I do feel sorry for the Queen.

"Both her mother and sister have now died, and that's enough for anybody, I feel.

"She now wants to mourn like a normal person, and my respects are from that point of view, not because she is a royal."

Nicholas Young, a theatrical agent from west London, said his son and daughter had presented the Queen Mother with posies on her 99th birthday when she did a walkabout outside her home, Clarence House, in central London.

Mr Young said: "She was the last of the Victorians. She was born the year before Queen Victoria died, and now we've lost the link with that era."

Mr Young's daughter, Selina, said: "I think the Queen Mother was very kind and generous to everybody around her, and it's so sad now she's gone."

The Darmanin family, from Sliema, Malta, took a break from their week-long stay in England to sign the books of condolence.

Francis Darmanin, 46, with his wife Johanna, 37, and their two children, said: "We're here on holiday, and yesterday we took the boys, who are big Arsenal fans, to watch their team play Sunderland - it was such a thrill for them.

"But when we got back to the hotel we switched on the TV and heard the news.

"We admired the Queen Mother and since we had the morning free we decided it would be nice to come here.

"We feel the British connection very strongly in Malta.

"The island was used as a British base during the war, and we know that the Queen Mother played an important part in those troubled times."

Oliver Volk, 33, and his girlfriend, Andrea Wurster, 29, both from Freiburg, southern Germany, said they respected the Royal Family and just wanted to sign the book.

Mr Volk said: "We're only here for the weekend, but like most people in Europe we've heard about the British royal family and we just wanted to put our feelings down on paper, so we signed the book.".

Anne Griffiths, 49, who had travelled to St James's Palace with her husband, Howard, 49, said she would not describe herself as a royalist but said she still wanted to sign the book of condolence.

Mrs Griffiths, of Swiss Cottage, north London, said the Queen Mother was a "constant in everyone's life for so long and had given years of loyal service. So, as a mark of respect, I've come here.

"She was an exception because she was an institution and I might not have come here for anybody else.

"I think she was somebody who kept things going in the Royal Family and was somebody we all looked up to.

"Because of the escapades of the Royal Family's younger generation, I think people will now view the royals in a different way now she's gone."

Tony Wrighton-Edwards, 58, a retired bank official from Leominster, near Hereford, said: "She had the common touch, and I always remember going to a function in Hyde Park and the Queen Mother was there, and as she walked up a stand there was obviously somebody she recognised, and halfway up she just stopped to have a chat - that's the sort of person she was."

Gay Scruton, 50, a development manager, from Little Venice, central London, said: "She was the most senior royal lady we had and was very influential, not only for the Royal Family but for the country as well.

"At 101 her death was going to happen at some stage, but it's still a sad occasion.