Mr Lee Kuan Yew's body arrives at the Istana

SINGAPORE - The hearse carrying Mr Lee Kuan Yew's body is now at the Istana.

Earlier at 1pm, Channel News Asia posted a video online of the hearse pulling into the Istana with a convoy of vehicles.

As the hearse drove past the crowd waiting outside the Istana, many broke into spontaneous shouts of "Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew!".

The Straits Times added that crowds lining the road started to disperse after the motorcade entered the Istana compound, but the queue for tributes to Mr Lee continued to grow.

There will be a private wake on Monday and Tuesday at Sri Temasek inside the Istana ground, which is the official residence of the Prime Minister.

On Monday afternoon, Mr Lee's casket was placed on a bed of orchids in a room on the ground floor of the two-storey terrace house, The Straits Times reported.

It added that the mood was sombre. Staff members wore white shirts and black trousers, with a black band around their left elbows as a sign of mourning. Cabinet ministers and MPs who went to pay their respects had black ribbons pinned to their shirts, The Straits Times said.

Other prominent figures who attended the wake included business magnate Li Ka-shing, who showed up with his son Robert Li, and Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his royal consort, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha.