Guest list for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral: The biggest surprise comes from Japan
Created: 09/19/2022, 11:11 am
By: Nadja Austel
Great Britain mourns the loss of Queen Elizabeth II. High-ranking international guests are also expected at the funeral on September 19 in London.
London – Great Britain mourns and the world takes part: Queen Elizabeth II died after fears for her health at the age of 96.
The Queen's funeral will take place on Monday September 19, after a funeral service from 11am at London's Westminster Abbey.
Due to her important position in world politics as regent of Great Britain, the state funeral is a global event to which high-ranking international guests are invited.
Days before, the coffin is laid out in Westminster Hall.
According to consistent media reports, around 2,000 mourners are expected at the funeral of the Queen of Great Britain.
Buckingham Palace did not announce an official guest list.
However, the first heads of state and monarchs have already informed the public about their participation or their absence.
Queen Elizabeth II - The invitations to her funeral have been counted
For example, the incumbent President of the USA, Joe Biden, told journalists in Washington that he would accept the invitation from London to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took the time to write a book of condolences for the Queen.
However, it cannot be assumed that he will travel to Great Britain.
Numerous heads of state are invited to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
© Laurie Dieffembacq/Imago
As the British Foreign Office complained in an official statement, the capacity of Westminster Abbey will be so full that, as a rule, only one high-ranking representative per country can attend the funeral service, accompanied by a single person.
The corresponding document was sent to the embassies last weekend.
It stated that due to the limited space, "no additional members of the main guest's family, staff or entourage can be admitted".
Queen Elizabeth II's funeral can be followed on September 19 on TV and live stream.
Many heads of state have already confirmed their attendance at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral service:
Australia:
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Bangladesh:
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Belgium:
King Philip and Queen Mathilde
Brazil:
President Jair Bolsonaro
Germany:
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Finland:
President Sauli Niinisto
France:
President Emmanuel Macron
Great Britain:
Prime Minister Liz Truss
Ireland:
President Michael D. Higgins and Prime Minister Micheál Martin
Italy:
President Sergio Mattarella
Canada:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Latvia:
President Egils Levits
Lithuania:
President Gitanas Nauseda
New Zealand:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
Austria:
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen
Palestine:
Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh
Poland:
President Andrzej Duda
Switzerland:
Federal President Ignazio Cassis
Sri Lanka:
President Ranil Wickremesinghe
South Africa:
President Cyril Ramaphosa
South Korea:
President Yoon Suk-yeol
Turkey:
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Trinidad and Tobago:
President Paula-Mae Weekes
Hungary:
President Katalin Novak
USA:
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden
Source: Press agencies, Twitter and Daily Mail citing UK government officials (as of September 13)
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EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, are also invited to the funeral service.
The participation of the Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako is considered a special honor.
Traditionally, Japanese monarchs do not actually attend funerals, either at home or abroad.
Queen Elizabeth II Funeral Invitation: Attending Royal Houses
In addition to the British royals, the following members of international royal families are also invited:
Belgium:
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde
Netherlands:
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima
Spain:
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, as well as former King Juan Carlos and his wife Sofia
Monaco:
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco.
Sweden:
King Carl XVI.
Gustaf and Queen Silvia
Luxembourg:
Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa
Denmark:
Queen Margarethe II.
Norway:
Harald V and Queen Sonja
Greece:
King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie
Japan:
Emperor Naruhito
Sources: Press agencies, Twitter and Daily Mail, citing UK government officials (as of September 13)
Queen's funeral: Putin not welcome as guest
According to consistent media reports, however, representatives of some states are not welcome at the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II.
Russia and Belarus, against whom Great Britain has issued numerous sanctions because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, have therefore not received an invitation.
According to information from the British news agency
PA
, representatives from Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan have also not been invited to the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The United Kingdom has no diplomatic relations with Syria and Venezuela.
In the case of Afghanistan, the reason is the political situation after the radical Islamist Taliban took power, the
PA
reported on Wednesday (September 14).
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Iran, North Korea and Nicaragua are each represented by only one ambassador instead of a head of state, as their diplomatic relations with Great Britain are considered strained.
Heads of state who did not receive an invitation are:
Russia:
President Vladimir Putin
Belarus:
President Alexander Lukashenko
North Korea:
"Supreme Leader" Kim Jong-un
Iran:
"Supreme Leader" Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi (instead the ambassadors of Iran)
Syria:
President Bashar Hafiz al-Assad
Source: Press agencies, Twitter, Daily Mail with government circles (as of September 13)
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