Westminster Hall was left in bad shape by the some 250,000 mourners who visited the Queen as she lay in wake at the historic venue. The 180-year-old Yorkstone floor, which survived a catastrophic fire in 1834, was reportedly delaminated by the massive crowd despite efforts to curtail the foot traffic damage, including sprawling carpets covering the more historic sections. “As a consequence of the high-level continuous footfall through Westminster Hall during the lying-in-state some delamination to the Yorkstone floor has occurred,” a Westminster spokesman said, according to the Telegraph. “This does not present a structural risk.” The damage has altered the coloration of the stone, though representatives for the Hall indicated that it is unlikely to be permanently marred. “That will blend in over time as it is exposed to the air so as it becomes unnoticeable,” they said.
