Biden is expected to pay his respects to the Queen at the Palace of Westminster today before attending a reception hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
Hundreds of foreign leaders, including US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, arrived in London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. span style=”font-weight: 400;”>, scheduled for September 19, reports Washington Post.
Thousands of people lined the River Thames in cold weather overnight Sunday to pay their last respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch, who lies in state at Westminster Hall. Her eight grandchildren, including Princes William and Harry, briefly approached her coffin last night.
Millions are expected to watch funerals and crowds are gathering outside Westminster to claim a coveted seat as major traffic disruption is expected in central London.
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, who arrived in London late Saturday night aboard Air Force One, were greeted by US Ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley and other officials.
President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrived in London, two days before Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday. https://t.co/6YO9JBzRz4 pic.twitter.com/TbcDNuaoXn
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 18, 2022
At around 5:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. Kyiv time) on Sunday, Biden will pay his respects to the late Queen at Westminster Hall. Then he will sign in the official condolence book. In the evening, he will join other world leaders at a private reception hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. Last week, Biden said he called Charles to express his condolences. “I remembered her kindness, dignity and constancy,” he said of Elizabeth.
On Monday, Biden will attend a state funeral at Westminster Abbey, where the Queen once got married and her coronation took place. He and some other leaders were allowed to get there in their own armored car, rather than on shared buses. After that, Biden will immediately return to the US.
Biden was expected to meet with the new British Prime Minister Liz Truss, but , according to the White House, this bilateral meeting will now take place at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
Also read: Charles III officially became the king of Britain
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Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 at the age of 96 in Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She ruled the country for 70 years: during this time, 15 prime ministers changed in Great Britain – from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss.
