President Biden and first lady Jill Biden accepted invitations to the event, according to the White House, for a historic day of pomp and ceremony as the United Kingdom marks the death of its longest-serving monarch. “The invitation was for the president and first lady only,” White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said, as speculation swirled about whether former US presidents have been invited. “I would refer you to the UK, its government, on this protocol in general.” In photos: The Queen and 13 US presidents Starting with Harry S. Truman in 1951, Elizabeth, who has died aged 96, met every US president during her lifetime except Lyndon B. Johnson — 13 in all. He met with Biden last year. Her elaborately choreographed state funeral will begin at 11am local time on Monday, according to Buckingham Palace, with the Royal Navy carrying her coffin in a procession from Westminster Hall, where she will lie in state, to the nearby Abbey of Westminster. It was where he married a young Elizabeth in 1947 and where she was crowned in 1953, a year after she ascended the throne. Foreign officials have been urged to arrive a day early and bring depleted teams. They have also been encouraged to fly commercially where possible to avoid congestion at London’s private airports and asked not to use helicopters to get around, according to British media, citing protocol guidelines from Britain’s Foreign Office. Global guests are also expected to attend a reception hosted by the British government immediately following the funeral. Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday from The Washington Post. The prime minister’s office declined to comment on the leaked guidance documents for foreign guests and referred The Post to the U.S. government for any comment on Biden’s travel and security operations, while acknowledging that “arrangements for different leaders will vary.” . In former British colonies, ghosts of the past haunt the mourning for the queen In terms of logistics, the roughly 500 guests expected to attend were also asked to help avoid clogging London’s streets by taking shared buses to historic Westminster Abbey, according to documents first reported by Politico. However, due to security concerns, an exception may be made for Biden to arrive in his armored presidential limousine, known as “The Beast” — which he also used when he attended the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, last year . President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden stopped by the British Embassy to pay their respects following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8. (Video: The Washington Post) Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, who rarely leaves the country, will also receive an exemption for his own vehicle, as will Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, according to unconfirmed media reports. The White House told The Post it could not comment on details about the president’s security. The US presidential limousine is armored, with thicker wheels, a heavy-duty chassis, expanded passenger space, secure encrypted communications technology, and elaborate interiors that can include fold-out desks. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed her participation and told local media: “You will see a fairly even distribution across the kingdom countries”, referring to the number of places available for visitors from the Commonwealth and other nations. Other leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro are expected to attend. Chinese leader Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to King Charles III last week, according to China’s foreign ministry, but it is unclear whether he will attend the funeral. Countries with which the UK has strained diplomatic relations, such as Myanmar and Belarus, may snub. Last week, the Kremlin rejected the idea of Russian President Vladimir Putin attending. “We are not considering such an option,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media. The funeral also clashes with the start of another global event, the UN General Assembly in New York, which begins this week and runs until September 27. Biden “will attend” the convention, press secretary Jean-Pierre said Monday. “They are working out the details on that. As soon as we have more, we will be happy to share them.” Meanwhile, Britain is in the midst of a period of official national mourning declared by the government shortly after the Queen’s death on Thursday. It will end on the Monday afternoon after the funeral, which is also a national holiday, with many people off work and students out of school. What happens at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral? Here’s what we know so far. Millions are expected to flock to London to catch a glimpse of the Queen’s historic farewell. Long queues and airport-style security are expected for those wishing to pay their last respects to their monarch as she is in the state. Charles is currently touring all four corners of the United Kingdom ahead of the funeral, along with Camilla, Queen Consort. Elizabeth’s mother was given a state funeral at Westminster Abbey in 2002, as was Princess Diana in 1997. The last monarch to have a state funeral there was King George II in 1760. After the funeral in London, Elizabeth will make her final journey to Windsor Castle, where she will be buried in St George’s Chapel next to her husband, Prince Philip, and her father, King George VI.
