LONDON —
US President Joe Biden was to pay his last respects in London to Queen
Elizabeth II on Sunday, as ordinary mourners waiting in marathon lines were
warned that time was running out to view her coffin lying in state.
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After witnessing
the somber scene in parliament’s Westminster Hall, Biden, Japan’s Emperor
Naruhito and other world leaders were due to attend a reception with King
Charles III.
Biden, who flew
in late Saturday, has said that Charles’s mother “defined an era” after she
reigned for a record-breaking 70 years leading up to her death on September 8,
aged 96.
Australia’s
anti-monarchy Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese, who viewed the lying-in-state
and met Charles on Saturday, told Sky News Australia that the queen was “a
constant reassuring presence”.
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
Charles as its sovereign.
“You could see
that it meant a huge amount (to Charles) to have seen the sheer scale and
outpouring of people’s love and affection for her late Majesty,” she told BBC
television Sunday.
But in a sign of
challenges ahead for the new king, Ardern added that she expected New Zealand
to ditch the UK monarchy “over the course of my lifetime”.
The first
members of the public were already camping out in advance to catch a glimpse of
Monday’s grand farewell at Westminster Abbey, which is expected to bring London
to a standstill and be watched by billions of viewers worldwide.
Starting with a
single toll from Big Ben, Britain will hold a minute’s silence at 8pm (7pm GMT)
on Sunday to reflect on the “life and legacy” of the queen.
Near the
Scottish town of Falkirk, 96 lanterns were to be lowered into a “pool of
reflection” at the foot of the Queen Elizabeth II Canal, before wreaths are
placed in the water.
Those wanting to
view the flag-draped casket have until 6:30am (5:30am GMT) on Monday to make it
into the cavernous Westminster Hall opposite the abbey.
As the queue
continued to snake for kilometres along the River Thames on Sunday, the waiting
time stood at more than 13 hours, and the line is likely to be closed by the
evening.
“To avoid
disappointment please do not set off to join the queue,” the government said.
Grandchildren’s vigil
As mourners slowly filed by on Saturday
evening, Prince William and his estranged younger brother
Prince Harry led the
queen’s eight grandchildren in a 12-minute vigil around the coffin.
Harry — who did
two tours with the British Army in Afghanistan — wore the uniform of the Blues
and Royals cavalry regiment in which he served.
The move
appeared to be the latest olive branch offered by Charles towards Harry and his
wife Meghan after they quit royal duties and moved to North America, later accusing
the royal family of racism.
Queen
Elizabeth’s state funeral, the first in Britain since the death of her first
prime minister Winston Churchill in 1965, will take place Monday at Westminster
Abbey in London at 11am.
Reflecting on
the queen’s wishes for the hour-long ceremony, the former archbishop of York,
John Sentamu, said she “did not want what you call long, boring services”.
“The hearts and
people’s cockles will be warmed and at the same time, there will be a moment of
saying this is a funeral service that is glorious in its setting,” he told BBC
television.
Tributes from Camilla, Andrew
Leaders from Russia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, and North Korea were
not invited to join the 2,000 guests.
Moscow’s foreign
ministry last week called the decision “deeply immoral”, and “blasphemous” to
the queen’s memory. China will attend at the abbey, but was barred by
parliamentary leaders from the lying-in-state.
After the
funeral, the queen’s coffin will be driven to
Windsor Castle, west of London,
for a private burial when she will be laid to rest alongside her late husband
Prince Philip, her parents and her sister.
The Queen’s
second son Prince Andrew, in disgrace over his links to US pedophile Jeffrey
Epstein, paid tribute Sunday to the queen’s “knowledge and wisdom infinite,
with no boundary or containment”.
Camilla gave her
first public comments as the new queen consort, recalling her mother-in-law’s
smile and “wonderful blue eyes”.
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