“They all would prefer to have their own car,” mentioned an exhausted British authorities official, one of many tons of engaged on the queen’s funeral.
Laying to relaxation the best-known lady within the world has changed into a big diplomatic problem. Members of the 23 royal households will probably be seated within the first rows of Westminster Abbey, in entrance of President Biden and about 90 different presidents and prime ministers, as dictated by protocol.
Leaders of practically 200 nations and territories flying into London had been strongly inspired to take industrial flights due to the complexity of scheduling touchdown slots throughout the identical time at airports nonetheless short-staffed from the coronavirus pandemic. But many personal jets are coming anyway.
Intense negotiations are occurring behind the scenes in an space referred to as “the Hangar” on the U.Okay. overseas workplace. Hundreds of persons are engaged on requests from the practically 500 overseas dignitaries who will attend the funeral.
There have already been diplomatic spats. Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons, blocked a Chinese delegation from attending this week’s public viewing of the queen’s coffin in Westminster Hall.
Hoyle cited China’s determination to refuse to enable some British politicians to journey to China as a result of they’ve criticized Beijing’s remedy of its Uyghur Muslim minority.
A Chinese overseas ministry spokesman responded sharply: “As the host, the British side should uphold diplomatic etiquette and hospitality.”
Vice President Wang Qishan is main the Chinese delegation. President Xi Jinping was invited however declined.
Almost each nation or territory with diplomatic relations with Britain was invited. Some didn’t make the record, together with Russia, Belarus and Myanmar, over the Ukraine battle and human rights abuses. A couple of nations, together with Iran, North Korea and Nicaragua, had been invited to ship an envoy, however not their head of state.
The invitation features a reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by King Charles III on Sunday night time and one other reception instantly after the funeral.
Olena Zelenska, spouse of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is attending, however her husband is predicted not to.
British officers mentioned they weren’t certain if Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was attending. U.S. intelligence officers have mentioned MBS, as he’s identified, was behind the 2018 homicide of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributing author.
Khashoggi’s fiancee mentioned that his presence could be a “stain” on the queen’s reminiscence.
Queen Elizabeth II had personally met a lot of those that will attend her funeral. She traveled to greater than 100 nations. In many circumstances she met a number of generations of leaders.
Many visitors will probably be of their 80s and even their 90s, and the way to seat them shortly and comfortably has additionally been deliberate extensively.
For instance, Spain’s King Felipe VI, 54, and Queen Letizia, 50, are coming. So are the king’s mother and father, former King Juan Carlos I, 84, and his spouse, former Queen Sofía, 83, who additionally knew Elizabeth.
The VIP visitors have made a continuing stream of particular requests. Some have requested to convey their physician, some a private assistant. Some have requested a personal room the place they will relaxation.
“You can’t just issue a blanket ‘no,’ but nine times out of ten it is a ‘no,’” the official mentioned. “But we want everyone to leave with a good impression.”
One exception: interpreters. Vice President Wang of China, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and a handful of others requested for an interpreter as a result of they communicate no English. Fewer than ten of these requests had been granted, however for the receptions solely — not for the funeral itself, the place house will probably be severely restricted.
Having so many world leaders in a single place affords uncommon alternatives for them to discuss with out aides and notetakers, mentioned Capricia Marshall, former chief of protocol for the United States within the Obama administration.
“They don’t have anyone else to talk to but each other, and they take advantage of that,” mentioned Marshall.
Usually nations ship lower-ranking officers to funerals and different occasions, Marshall mentioned.
Karen Pierce, Britain’s ambassador to the United States, mentioned she believes Biden is the primary U.S. president to attend a British state funeral. The final state funeral was in 1965 for Winston Churchill and Lyndon B. Johnson had been hospitalized round that point.
Former British ambassador to the United States Peter Westmacott famous that there’s at all times the opportunity of issues going badly between leaders who’ve sturdy private or nationwide variations. But, he mentioned, the queen’s demise has prompted “an outbreak of civility.”
He cited Macron, the French president who has many variations with Britain over Brexit, the U.Okay.’s departure from Europe, and private disagreements with new prime minister Liz Truss and her predecessor, Boris Johnson.
“He’s pretty hopping mad with Liz Truss and Boris Johnson,” Westmacott mentioned. “But look at the nice things he’s been saying about the queen and the relationship between Britain and France.”
In the tip, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declined to come after being advised he couldn’t being his personal presidential automotive — an exception to the foundations granted solely to Biden, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and a few others.
“That call was made based on security concerns. It has nothing to do with special relationship or politics,” mentioned the British official.
When the British refused Erdogan’s request, he determined to ship his overseas minister in his place.
To many Britons, the thought of pampered princesses and world leaders hopping on a bus is simply amusing.
“All the world leaders are on a field trip,” mentioned British comic Jimmy Carr, when requested for his ideas by The Washington Post. “And you know who is actually in charge? For that 45 minutes, the leader of the world is the bus driver. ‘My bus, my rules! Sit down in the back. North Korea, get along with South Korea. Sit down! China, what are you doing in the back? Sit down!’”
Carr agreed with the protocol consultants that the bus time introduced alternatives.
“I think more could get done on that bus in 40 minutes than has been done in the U.N. in the last 40 years. Maybe Israel and Palestine sit next to each other on the bus and go, ‘You know what, we’ve got a lot in common. What did you bring for lunch, Palestine? Hummus? Well, I’ve got some pitas. Let’s do this.’”
Michael Birnbaum in Washington and Lily Kuo in Taipei contributed to this report.
