Leaders and heads of state from throughout the globe will come collectively in central London on Monday to attend the state funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.
Round 500 international dignitaries are anticipated to attend the service at Westminster Abbey, together with President Joe Biden, kings and queens from throughout Europe, and leaders of Commonwealth nations.
The queen is mendacity in state on the Palace of Westminster to permit members of the general public to pay their respects. On Monday morning, her coffin might be moved to the church for the state funeral service, which is scheduled to start at 6 a.m. ET.
A police official declined to element how the leaders would journey to Westminster Abbey on Monday, citing safety causes. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy added in a media briefing Friday that London’s Metropolitan Police is engaged in its largest policing operation ever.
The White Home confirmed that Biden will attend the funeral and might be accompanied by first girl Jill Biden.
Members of royal households throughout Europe have confirmed that they’re attending, together with Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and the earlier Spanish king and queen, Juan Carlos and Sofia. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II and her inheritor, Crown Prince Frederik, will even be attending.
Royal households from Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium have all confirmed that they are going to be touring to London for the funeral, in response to Reuters. Monarchs attending from exterior Europe embrace Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.
Among the many nationwide leaders in Europe who’ve confirmed their attendance is French President Emmanuel Macron. On Thursday, he wrote in a tweet that the hyperlink between France and the UK is “unbreakable.”
Different high-profile leaders from Europe who’re coming, as reported by Reuters, are German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Irish President Michael D. Higgins.
Heads of state from the Commonwealth have additionally confirmed that they’re attending, together with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indian President Droupadi Murmu.
Chinese language Vice President Wang Qishan is predicted to attend, angering some British lawmakers who have been banned from touring to China final yr, after they criticized Beijing’s mistreatment of Muslim Uyghurs. China has denied any abuse of the Uyghurs.
Pope Francis has stated he won’t be current on the funeral service and can as a substitute ship a senior consultant from the Vatican.
Invites to the funeral have been despatched to heads of state of almost each nation on the earth besides Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Russia, Belarus and Myanmar.
Britain doesn’t have full diplomatic ties with Syria, Venezuela or Afghanistan, and relations with Russia and Belarus collapsed after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February. Russia’s navy has used Belarus as a base to launch assaults into Ukraine.
And the U.Okay. has lowered its diplomatic presence in Myanmar after a navy coup there final yr.
