↑ Multinational leaders plan to attend the Queen's funeral
According to reports, the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II will be held on September 19 local time at Westminster Abbey in London. It is understood that leaders of many countries, including US President Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, Australian Prime Minister Albanes, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue, Brazilian President Bolsonaro and others have said they will plan to attend the Queen's funeral. Japanese Emperor Naruhito and European royal families such as Spain also plan to attend the queen's funeral. In addition, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is also considering attending the Queen's funeral.
It has been reported that the funeral of a major political figure is also a special moment for world diplomacy, and the queen's funeral is not only a funeral, but also an important occasion for multilateral leaders to meet. According to reports, the last time britain held a state funeral was in 1965 for former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, when dignitaries from 112 countries and regions attended the funeral. When the former UAE president died in May, leaders of the United States, France, the United Kingdom and other countries also gathered in the UAE to mourn the former president.
↑ The funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II will be held at Westminster Abbey in London
"Open the back door" for Biden?
British side: Biden does not have to take the bus
Previously, it was reported that the British side put forward stricter requirements for guests who came to attend the Queen's funeral, such as foreign leaders only bringing their spouses to attend in principle, foreign leaders are not allowed to take their own cars on the day of the funeral, but must take the bus designated by the British side, and foreign leaders are best traveled by commercial flights. Reports suggest that this could put U.S. President Joe Biden in a dilemma, as he typically needs a large number of security personnel to travel. Timothy Miller, a security expert and former U.S. Secret Service official, believes it is unlikely that the president of the United States will be able to fly a unified bus or a commercial flight. He explained that in similar activities in the past, the president's security had to be fully guaranteed by the host country.
It has been reported that it is unclear what special treatment Biden will receive. However, according to media reports on September 12, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Tras said that the relevant arrangements will change due to the increasing number of foreign dignitaries confirming the attendance at the Queen's funeral. The spokesman said that the documents given earlier were only guidance and suggestions, and the actual arrangements would be made according to the specific situation. Asked if President Biden could follow his own plan, the spokesman gave an affirmative answer.
↑It is reported that Biden has been allowed to airlift his bulletproof car from the United States to the United Kingdom, and can attend the funeral in his own car
According to reports, when the US president visited London before, he would generally take the "Air Force One" special plane and land at London Stansted Airport. Former U.S. President Barack Obama flew to Stansted Airport on Air Force One, then transferred to Marine One helicopters to central London, and finally took the presidential car to the U.S. Embassy in the United Kingdom near Regent's Park.
According to the guidance documents previously released by the British side, foreign guests attending the Queen's funeral cannot use helicopters between the airport and the venue. However, it is reported that Biden has been allowed to airlift his bulletproof car from the United States to the United Kingdom, and can attend the funeral in his own car. It is reported that Biden's car is a $1.5 million Cadillac named "Beast". The car can withstand bullets and explosions, and the chassis is "indestructible". It is reported that the car is equipped with night vision cameras, tear gas, etc., the door is as heavy as the door of the Boeing 757 aircraft, and the tires can also drive normally in the case of deflation. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with an oxygen system and a blood storage device for the president in critical situations.
In addition to Biden, including Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Israeli President Herzog, the report also said, "it is likely that they will be allowed to travel on their own special transportation."
More than just a funeral
It's more like a grand diplomatic event
An official who served as a cabinet minister at the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said it was not surprising that even if all heads of government and leaders from Europe or other countries came to attend the Queen's funeral. To the official, the Queen's funeral was like a grand diplomatic event, "the Queen's last contribution to the country". John Campphner, a researcher at the Chatham Institute, a British think tank, believes that this is a "unique" funeral. He said the queen was one of the most famous people in the world and that the list of guests who came to her funeral should be "unprecedented".
In addition to foreign leaders, Britain's new Prime Minister Teras and Labour Leader Kiel Stamer will also be present at the funeral. That means Traus could meet with U.S. President Joe Biden. It is understood that because of the problem of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Tras received a warning from the United States as soon as she took office, and the United States reminded her not to unilaterally tear up the agreement.
Brazilian President Bolsonaro, who does not appear to have close ties to Britain, will also attend the funeral. According to previous reports, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, he immediately declared a national mourning for 3 days. Brazilian media analysis said that Brazil's general election is imminent, and polls show that the president may lose. According to people familiar with the matter, Brazil's president wanted to shoot some video footage of his trip to the funeral as collateral for his propaganda. A staff member next to the president revealed that the overseas guests attending the Queen's funeral are all leaders of various countries, which can also highlight Bolsonaro's status as the current leader of Brazil, which is very beneficial to him.
In addition, south Korean President Yoon Seok-yue will take the opportunity to attend the funeral to meet with Western leaders who also attended the funeral in London to seek cooperation with the international community. It is understood that he will visit the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada from September 18, aiming to strengthen cooperation with partner countries that share core values and expand the foundation of economic diplomacy. The report also said that the leaders of South Korea and Japan, South Korea and the United States may take this opportunity to meet in London.
However, Campvner believes that the Queen's funeral has strict etiquette requirements, and the leaders attending the funeral will have to deal with some private dialogue or interaction with caution. "Leaders should be very cautious about avoiding being perceived as overly engaged in direct diplomacy," he said. Campvner also noted that the Queen's funeral provided an opportunity for new British Prime Minister Tras to "let the world know about her." At the same time, however, he cautioned that Tras should not be too involved in discussions on international issues during this sensitive period. It is reported that the United Kingdom has entered a 10-day mourning period, and Tras will not hold a formal meeting with foreign leaders for the time being. The analysis believes that Tras had to wait until later at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, to have a substantive dialogue with everyone.
Conservative MP Peter Bonn also believes that if foreign heads of state express their condolences and respect for the Queen, it will have an impact. "But it would seem very inappropriate to discuss topics such as free trade agreements at the Queen's funeral." he said.
Red Star News reporter Li Jinrui
Edited by Guan Li, Pan Li
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