4 hours ago
image source,Getty Images
Britain will hold a state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II next Monday (September 19), with world leaders and members of the royal family expected to attend the largest funeral in decades.
Funeral invitations were sent out over the weekend, and about 500 foreign dignitaries are expected to attend, including heads of state and members of the royal family.
Most of the leaders were told to travel to the UK on commercial flights rather than private jets, and they were told to take a bus together from a location in west London to the ceremony site.
The state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey in London, which can accommodate about 2,200 people.
Below are those who are currently known to be participating and those who will not.
European royal family
image source,Archyde.com
Dutch King Willem-Alexander (second from left) and Queen Maxima (first from left) will attend
Royals across Europe, many of whom are blood relatives of the Queen, are expected to be in attendance.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium have confirmed their attendance, as have King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, and The king’s mother, Princess Beatrix, former Queen of the Netherlands.
Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia have also accepted invitations, as have royals from Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
America president
image source,EPA
US President Biden leaves message in Queen’s mourning book, he will attend Queen’s funeral with his wife
The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden will attend with the first lady, although it is understood they will not be taking the bus to Westminster with others.
The question of whether Biden will invite former President Trump as part of the U.S. delegation has been discussed many times, but the limited number of delegations means the former president will not necessarily be able to attend.
There is speculation, however, that some former presidents and wives, particularly Barack Obama and his wife, may be invited as private guests.
US news outlet Politico reported that former US President Jimmy Carter, who ruled from 1977 to 1981, was not invited.
leader of the commonwealth of nations
image source,Archyde.com
New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern has accepted the invitation
The Queen is also the head of state of the Commonwealth of Nations during her reign, and many leaders of the Commonwealth are expected to attend the Queen’s funeral.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have all accepted invitations.
Governors representing the British monarch in Commonwealth countries are also expected to attend with their national leaders.
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in power for many years, and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe have also reportedly accepted the invitation, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has yet to confirm his attendance.
other leaders
image source,CHRISTOF STACHE
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian President Mattarella will both attend
Other world leaders who have accepted invitations include Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. von der Leyen).
South Korean President Yoon Sek-yue and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have also confirmed their attendance.
In addition, Japanese Emperor Naruhito, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and French President Emmanuel Macron will also be present.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping received the invitation. China’s foreign ministry said Beijing was “considering sending a high-level delegation.” Xi Jinping will visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on the 14th, his first foreign trip since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic.
According to British government sources, Iran, which has long faced international sanctions over its nuclear program, will only be represented at ambassadorial level.
not invited
image source,Archyde.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin not invited
British government sources told the BBC’s foreign affairs correspondent James Landale that representatives from Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan were not invited to attend.
This is because the UK does not have full diplomatic relations with these countries.
North Korea and Nicaragua were only invited to send ambassadors, not heads of state.
Countries such as Russia, Belarus and Myanmar did not receive any invitations.
British-Russian diplomatic relations have all but collapsed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that he was “not considering” attending the funeral.
Part of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine was launched from the territory of Belarus, where President Aleksandr Lukashenko is a close ally of Putin.
Following the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the UK has significantly reduced diplomatic relations with Myanmar.