Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral: Who all are expected to join the final ceremony in London?
It is expected that the Queen’s funeral will be the biggest gathering in decades as several world leaders, and celebrities will arrive in London next week.
Queen Elizabeth II, who was a symbol of stability in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and disarray in her own family, died after 70 years on the throne on September 8. She was 96. Subsequently, Buckingham Palace released a statement and said the State Funeral of the monarch will take place at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19, at 11 AM local time. It is expected that the funeral ceremony of the Queen will be the biggest gathering in decades as several world leaders, and celebrities will arrive in London next week. According to BBC, nearly 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries were invited to the grand event. The media report claimed the leaders were asked to reach the designated place by commercial flights. However, some of the top leaders were not invited to the funeral.
Here is the list of the leaders who are invited and expected to join the ceremony:
According to media reports, several royal members, including immediate relatives of the Queen have been invited and expected that nearly all of them would the ceremony. Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have confirmed they attend, as have King Willem-Alexander and his wife, Queen Maxima, along with his mother, former Dutch queen Princess Beatrix. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain have also accepted an invitation, as have the royal families of Norway, Sweden, and Demark. US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden also announced that they have received an invitation from the Royal Family. However, his delegation, which usually comprise senior White House officials, was not invited to attend the procession. A White House official told CNN that the invitation was specifically sent to only the President and the First Lady.
Indian PM is yet to confirm his attendance at Queen’s funeral
Also, there were speculations that Biden may invite his predecessor Doland Trump to join the ceremony. However, it is unlikely that Trump would attend the funeral. Leaders from across the Commonwealth are expected to attend. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in a statement, said that he had received an invitation and will surely attend the event. Besides, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also confirmed their attendance at the upcoming event
Asian leaders such as Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe also confirmed receiving invitations but have not revealed their status of travel. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also yet to confirm his plan. Moreover, Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Japanese Emperor Naruhito, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and French President Emmanuel Macron as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have also received an invitation and are expected to join.
Putin is not in the guest list
South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have also confirmed their plan of joining the event. Amid the ongoing conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his closest ally and Belarusian counterpart Aleksandr Lukashenko were not invited to the funeral. Besides, Myanmar, which has been facing a military coup since February last year, was also not on the list. China, which has been indirectly supporting the war, has not confirmed whether President Xi Jinping was invited or not.
The procession will travel through 8 locations
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace r said the State Funeral of the monarch takes place at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19. The Procession will travel via Queen’s Gardens, The Mall, Horse Guards and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard. After the Coffin arrives at Westminster Hall, the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service assisted by The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, and attended by The King and Members of the Royal Family, after which the Lying-in-State will begin. During the Lying-in-State, members of the public will have the opportunity to visit Westminster Hall to pay their respects to The Queen. On Monday 19th September, the Lying-in-State will end and the Coffin will be taken in Procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, where the State Funeral Service will take place.
