London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026

Pics: World Leaders Pay Last Respects To The Queen

Pics: World Leaders Pay Last Respects To The Queen

Queen Elizabeth's state funeral today will be the first in Britain since the death of her first prime minister Winston Churchill in 1965.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, will be laid to rest on Monday, after a grand state funeral attended by leaders from around the world, and a historic last ceremonial journey through the packed streets of London.

President Droupadi Murmu, her US counterpart Joe Biden, France's Emmanuel Macron are among the world leaders attending the funeral.


President Murmu, who is in London on a three-day visit to attend the state funeral, signed a condolence book on behalf of the Indian government on Sunday. The President was joined by Acting High Commissioner Sujit Ghosh at Lancaster House in London, where visiting world leaders are stopping by to sign a book of condolence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II who died aged 96 in Scotland on September 8.

US President Joe Biden remembered the Queen for her kindness and hospitality. Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world, he said. Biden, who first met the Queen in 1982, crossed himself and put his hand on his heart while he stood with his wife Jill on a gallery overlooking the flag-draped casket in London's cavernous Westminster Hall.


Australia's anti-monarchy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese viewed the lying-in-state and met King Charles on Saturday. News agency AFP quoted him as saying that the queen was "a constant reassuring presence".

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg (2nd L) and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg (L) pay their respects at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.


There was also a private audience at Buckingham Palace for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, which like Australia and 12 other Commonwealth realms now counts King Charles as its sovereign.

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (R) pays his respects at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, Lying in State inside Westminster Hall, at the Palace of Westminster in London .


The royal rulers of Qatar, Bahrain and Oman ordered flags to be flown at half-mast, and Jordan's King Abdullah II, whose mother was British, also sent his condolences, news agency AFP reported.

Bahrain's Prime Minister Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa pays his respects at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.


Leaders from Russia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria and North Korea, however, were not invited to join the 2,000 guests. While China will attend at the abbey, the country was barred by parliamentary leaders from the lying-in-state.

Queen Elizabeth's state funeral today, the first in Britain since the death of her first prime minister Winston Churchill in 1965, will bring an end to 11 days of national mourning across the United Kingdom that has seen the personal sorrow of the royal family play out in the glare of intense international attention.

The Queen's coffin will be carried on the same gun carriage used for her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria's funeral. The spectacular ceremony will be shown by around 125 cinemas across Britain, while parks, squares and cathedrals will also set up viewing screens for the huge ceremonial event.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
UK: Former Football Association Leaders Call for World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Privatization Plan
Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners
Over 24 Hours in the Air: Qantas Airbus Completes Record-Breaking Test Flight
Prince Harry Faces Significant Legal Costs After Insurance Shortfall
FirstGroup Sells Rail Software Business to Tracsis for £48 Million
Victoria and Albert Museum Staff Vote for Strike Action
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Contract Killing Plot in Britain
Royal Mail Raises Bulk Mailing Prices by 30%
Immigration Remains Britain's Top Public Concern, Ipsos Survey Finds
Prime Minister Says Social Care Reform Must Precede Assisted Dying Legislation
Ofgem Proposes Steep Grid Connection Charges for New Data Centers
Major Cyberattack Compromises UK Education and Police Data
Government Reviews Jurisdiction Over Crimes Involving US Military Personnel
England Declares Widespread Drought After Record Dry July
UK Commits £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Program
Zuckerberg Opposes US Ban on Chinese AI Models and Warns of Regulatory Capture
Massive Wildfires Ravage Southern Europe: Fatalities in Greece and Evacuations Across France, Spain, and Turkey
NHS Leaders Warn Royal Mail Tariff Increases Will Raise Administrative Costs
Immigration Remains the Public's Top Concern in Britain, Ipsos Poll Finds
Britain Approves 16 New Grid Storage Projects to Strengthen Electricity Network
London-Listed Merger Activity Climbs Even as IPO Market Remains Weak
Institute of Directors Warns High Energy Costs and Taxes Continue to Weigh on UK Businesses
North Sea Industry Calls for Faster Approval of £10 Billion Rosebank and Jackdaw Projects
UK Inflation Eases to 2.6% but Higher Energy Costs Could Renew Price Pressures
Burnham Holds Talks With Saudi and Qatari Leaders on Middle East Security and Energy
Burnham and Zelenskyy Announce UK Electronic Warfare Technology Cooperation During London Visit
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Launches Cross-Party Push for Social Care Reform in England
Trump says Israel ‘would not survive’ without US
France Evacuates Atlantic Coast Resorts as Wildfire Risk Rises Again
Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes Kumamoto as Rescuers Search Collapsed Buildings
OpenAI Faces Demands for Full Disclosure After Models Breach Hugging Face
Nvidia Reportedly Takes Vast Texas Data-Centre Lease to Underwrite AI Expansion
Royal Collection Trust Income Falls as Palace Visits Retreat From Record Highs
FIFA’s Private-Investment Plan for World Cup Rights Draws European Revolt
Ministers Examine Social-Care Levy as Burnham Seeks Funding Settlement
UK Attractions Sector Forecast to Add £587 Million in Visitor Spending
England Coast Path Extends With New Suffolk Estuary Walking Route
Attorney General Wins Longer Jail Term for Fatal Dangerous Driving Case
Andrew and Tristan Tate Remain in U.S. Custody Pending UK Extradition
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Workers Secure Above-Inflation Pay Deal
Prime Minister Seeks Cross-Party Agreement on Social Care Reform
Court Upholds Competition Ruling Against Drugmakers Over Hydrocortisone Prices
UK Unveils Major Technical Education Reform for Secondary Schools
UK Judge Rebukes Home Office Over AI-Generated Errors in Asylum Case
UK and Ukraine Agree to Share Electronic Warfare Technology
Apple Briefly Crosses Five Trillion Dollar Valuation as Investors Retreat From AI Bets
Badenoch Offers Tory Votes to Keep Serious Offenders in Prison
Why Americans Queue for $15 Ice Cream and a $100 Caviar Pint
×