Who's invited to Queen Elizabeth's funeral - and who's not

US President Joe Biden and US First Lady Jill Biden (far right on raised platform) attending the Lying-in-State of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at the Palace of Westminster on Sept 18, 2022. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

LONDON - Hundreds of foreign royals and heads of state are expected to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in London on Monday for one of the biggest diplomatic gatherings in decades.

Westminster Abbey has space for about 2,000 people. Around 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries, along with their partners, are expected, according to BBC and Sky News reports.

Also attending Britain's first state funeral in six decades will be the Queen's family members, courtiers, public figures and British politicians.

World royalty

A host of royals from Europe and further afield have confirmed their attendance at the funeral for Britain's longest-serving monarch.

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will attend - their first overseas trip since assuming the throne in 2019. The visit marks a departure from Japanese tradition, which rarely sees the emperor attend funerals.

Europe's royal families are closely related after centuries of mingling their bloodlines, so it will be no surprise to see several monarchs from the continent.

King Harald V of Norway, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Dutch King Willem-Alexander, Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Philippe, King of the Belgians will all attend.

King Harald V of Norway pays his respects to the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II inside Westminster Hall, on Sept 18, 2022. PHOTO: AFP

Denmark's Queen Margrethe II, who scrapped a series of events marking her 50th jubilee following the death of her third cousin, Queen Elizabeth, is also coming.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (right) and Crown Prince Frederik (centre) pay their respects to the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II inside Westminster Hall, on Sept 18, 2022. PHOTO: AFP

Spain's King Felipe VI will be there with his wife Queen Letizia. So too will his father, former king Juan Carlos I, who abdicated in disgrace in 2014 and now lives in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates.

Although Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was invited, it emerged late Sunday that he would not be attending. There has been international outrage at the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey by Saudi agents.

Global leaders

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's wife, Olena, seems likely to attend, having visited the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall on Sunday.

First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska (second from right) pays her respect to the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, on Sept 18, 2022. PHOTO: REUTERS

United States President Joe Biden and his wife Jill head the diplomatic guest list. They flew into Britain late Saturday, also paying their respects in front of the coffin on Sunday. Unlike some other leaders who have been asked to come in motor coaches arranged by the British government, Mr Biden has reportedly been given permission to use his armoured presidential limousine, known as The Beast.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden paying their respects as they view the coffin of Queen Elizabeth on Sept 18, 2022. PHOTO: AFP
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French President Emmanuel Macron will attend, the Elysee Palace said, to show France's "unbreakable" bond with Britain and pay respects to the "eternal queen". He is also among the leaders allowed to use their own transport, British officials said.

Authoritarian Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil are also coming.

China will send its vice-president, Mr Wang Qishan, at the British government's invitation.

Despite Britain's Brexit divorce from the European Union, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council head Charles Michel will go as well.

Other heads of state at the funeral will include Presidents Sergio Mattarella of Italy, Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, Isaac Herzog of Israel and Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea.

In a symbolic move to pay tribute to the Queen, whose 2011 state visit to the Republic of Ireland helped heal decades of tensions over Northern Ireland's position in Britain, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin will be present.

Numerous leaders will come from countries where Queen Elizabeth was the head of state. They include Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern.

Leaders will also come from other states in the 56-nation Commonwealth, of which Queen Elizabeth was the symbolic figurehead. They include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Fijian PM Frank Bainimarama.

Not invited

Due to strained ties, Britain has opted to invite ambassadors, not heads of state, from several countries - Iran, Nicaragua and North Korea.

Russia and Belarus are among a small group of nations excluded altogether following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin - under a travel ban to Britain due to sanctions - has already said he will not attend.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has already said he will not attend. PHOTO: REUTERS

But not inviting any Russian representative to the Queen's funeral was "particularly blasphemous towards Elizabeth II's memory" and "deeply immoral", the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Moscow said Thursday.

Russia and Belarus have embassies in London, and their presidents sent King Charles messages of condolences.

Other countries with no invitations are Myanmar, Syria, Venezuela and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. AFP

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