Friday, 04 October

Who was at the Queen's funeral service - and who was not?

World News
Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

The Family 

Near the coffin were King Charles III and the Queen Consort, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex. In the row behind them were the Duke of Sussex, the Duchess of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Lady Louise Windsor. Seen in the third row behind them are Samuel Chatto, Arthur Chatto, Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto.

The Prince and Princess of Wales sat across the aisle from them. Circled in the image below are King Charles III, the Duke of Sussex, the Duchess of Sussex, the Prince of Wales and the Princess of Wales.

The Royal Family in the abbey

Alongside their parents were Prince George of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales, as seen below.

William, Prince of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte of WalesIMAGE SOURCE,PA MEDIA

All the Queen's grandchildren we seated close together. There were left to right: From left: Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Lady Louise Windsor, Viscount Severn, Prince William, Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall

From left: Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Lady Louise Windsor, Viscount Severn, Prince William, Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall

Also there were Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, who was the late Queen's godson; Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

Some of the Queen's closest friends were also there, including ladies-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey and Dame Mary Morrison, right.

Lady Susan Hussey and Dame Mary Morrison, right Current and former UK prime ministers

Current Prime Minister Liz Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary were there, seen at the back on right. along with all of the UK's surviving prime ministers who were seated in the quire of the abbey.

Liz Truss and former UK prime ministersIMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS

In the middle row was Carrie Johnson, Boris Johnson, Philip May, Theresa May, David Cameron, and Samantha Cameron.

In the front row were Sarah Brown, Gordon Brown, Cherie Blair, Sir Tony Blair, Lady Norma Major and Sir John Major.

Global royalty

Many foreign royals also came to pay their respects.

Empress Masako and Emperor Naruhito of Japan sat next to Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Queen Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. In front of them King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan.

Empress Masako and Emperor Naruhito of Japan, Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah (and Queen Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, and in front of them King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan Heads of foreign governments

About 100 presidents and heads of government were thought to have been in the abbey.

US President Mr Biden and his wife Jill Biden sat next to an aisle, 14 rows from the front in the south transept of the abbey, behind the Polish president Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda.

Joe Biden and Jill Biden 1px transparent line

The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, attended with his wife Brigitte.Mr Macron, who met the Queen three times, had said that she had been "a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen, who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century".

Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron 1px transparent line

Other foreign heads of government who were there included Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Not invited Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with parliamentary leaders in Moscow, Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin is among those not invited

Representatives from Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan were not invited. This is because the UK does not have full diplomatic relations with these countries.

No-one from Russia, Belarus and Myanmar has been invited either.

Diplomatic relations between the UK and Russia have all but collapsed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was "not considering" attending the funeral.

The invasion was launched partially from the territory of Belarus. And the UK has significantly scaled back its diplomatic presence in Myanmar since a military coup last year.

North Korea (DPRK) and Nicaragua have been invited to send only ambassadors, not heads of state.

Human rights groups had criticised the decision to invite Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The prince has been accused by Western intelligence of ordering the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Prince Turki al-Faisal, another senior Saudi royal, was expected to attend the funeral instead.

Source: BBC