Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, the police and other emergency services are struggling to cope with a tidal wave of public grief as the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales draws near. The royal family last night bowed to growing public demand by announcing a revised route for the funeral procession - four times as long as originally planned - amid estimates that as many as three million people might make their way into central London on Saturday, three times the number who made the same journey for the wedding of Charles and Diana 17 years ago.
The princess's last journey will now begin from her home at Kensington Palace, where, for the third successive day, close on 100,000 people came to pay their respects.
Last night a French photographer accused of taking close-range photos of the dying Princess, denied acting improperly. Mr Romuald Rat said he spoke gently to the Princess in English after arriving at the scene, urging her to stay calm and saying that help was on the way.
"That was it. I did nothing wrong. I did not take any photos at all. It really was not the moment to take any pictures." He admitted to later taking photographs of the crashed car.
Mr Rat was one of six photographers and a motorbike driver put on notice by a French judge of manslaughter charges on Tuesday.
At St James's Palace - where Diana's body lies at rest in the Royal Chapel - the number of books of condolence was increased from 16 to 43 after people queued for an astonishing 12 hours throughout the night to record their tributes.
As mourners continued to arrive, the carpet of flowers outside Kensington Palace stretched 40 yards from the palace gates. Police said that by Saturday it was expected the floral tributes would stretch the length of Kensington Gardens, the large park in front of the palace where Diana lived.
Buckingham Palace last night announced that Prince William and Prince Harry, supported by the Prince of Wales, will fly to London from Balmoral and pay their respects at their mother's coffin tomorrow. The palace spokeswoman, Ms Sandy Henny, told the BBC: "All the royal family, especially the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry, are taking strength from the overwhelming support of the public, who are sharing their tremendous sense of loss and grief."
It was also confirmed that Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother would travel by overnight train from Scotland to be in London for Saturday morning's funeral service at Westminster Abbey.
Confirmation of the royal travel plans came as a steady stream of friends and family paid their respects inside the Royal Chapel at St James's Palace. Earl Spencer, Diana's brother, looked distraught and shielded his face as his car swept through a police cordon. A queen's chaplain said "a constant, loving, prayerful presence" was being maintained in the chapel. The coffin, laid before the altar, is lit day and night - just yards across a courtyard from where the mourning public file through the Lower Corridor to sign their condolences.
As she prepared for the sorrowful journey to London, the princess's mother spoke for the first time since the tragedy in Paris, thanking God for the "gift" of Diana.
Mrs Frances Shand Kydd offered: "My heartfelt thank-yous to everyone for their prayers, flowers and letters - and for endless thoughtful kindness, following the death of my daughter Diana. I pray for her and the two men who died with her and for their families. I am so proud of William and Harry, and Diana's sisters Sarah and Jane, and her brother Charles." Mrs Shand Kydd continued: "I thank God for the gift of Diana and for all her loving and giving. I give her back to Him, with my love, pride and admiration to rest in peace."