Biden says he will attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral
Source: Politico
President Joe Biden said Friday that he will attend the funeral of the United Kingdoms Queen Elizabeth, the most definitive comment to date from the White House on whether the president will travel for the service.
I dont know what the details are yet but Ill be going, Biden told reporters before boarding Air Force One after a speech in Ohio. The president also said he knows King Charles but has not yet spoken to him since the death of his mother.
Up until Bidens remarks, the White House had not confirmed whether the president would attend. In a gaggle with reporters earlier Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to provide details, deferring to official protocol regarding invitations for the service.
The queen, 96, died on Thursday, ending her reign as the longest-serving British monarch. She held the crown for more than 70 years and led the monarchy through 14 U.S. presidencies. Leaders around the world mourned her death, with Biden remembering her as a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States.
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Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/09/biden-says-he-will-attend-queen-elizabeths-funeral-00055948
peppertree
(21,639 posts)"The pig in a tuxedo," Queen Elizabeth called him.
getagrip_already
(14,764 posts)He will probably try to crash it. It's what they do.
peppertree
(21,639 posts)He'll become the most infamous authoritarian to be detained in Britain since Pinochet in '99.
And this time, he won't have Thatcher to run interference for him.
magicarpet
(14,155 posts)... tRUMP has already dialed up King Charles II.
tRUMP said he told the King that even though he was not yet invited to the Queen's funeral, he would be glad to come. But under one important condition.
tRUMP is to have full and exclusive use - and able to take a ride any time he wants - in the horse drawn Golden Carriage. The very same Golden Carriage that QE-II refused him to have a ride in after multiple requests during his last visit to Great Britain.
King Charles II then stated rather coldly. Yeah,.. I think about it,.. but I need to run that by the royal court first. Then I'll get back to ya.
Incidentally,.. my suggestion to you is do not purchase any advance reservation airline tickets to London on the day of my mother's funeral.
When you go through custom they might inform you that the King of England at the instructions of his mother before her death decreed - " If former President tRUMP intends to attend my funeral - stop him at the customs gate - deny him enter into the country and immediately send him back home to his mansion at Mar-a-Lago.
But as King I promise to check on the availability of Mother's horse drawn Golden Carriage and the ride you have so long anticipated.
Now please do not call Windsor Castle again.
Delightful speaking with you.
Now get off my phone - good bye.
+++×××+++×××+++×××
magicarpet
(14,155 posts)... a hand written note deliver to Windsor Castle by special currier. It asked the King if tRUMP should wear the very same tuxedo he wore last time while in London ? Should he wear that very same tuxedo to QE-II's upcoming funeral ? The tuxedo that made tRUMP look like a severely obese penguin.
tRUMP has still not heard back or received a response from the King of England.
He anxiously awaits his reply.
JohnnyRingo
(18,636 posts)They were collected in the raid.
I assume even he needs one, but I wouldn't trust that he'll return. He might get a room with Roman Polanski.
SilasSouleII
(363 posts)n/t.
Rhiannon12866
(205,541 posts)TFG kept his. I'm hoping they didn't give that one back.
Prof. Toru Tanaka
(1,967 posts)peppertree
(21,639 posts)"Mine. All mine!"
lambchopp59
(2,809 posts)Among the most embarrassingly assinine breaches of protocol among hundreds of foibles, oh, the look she could have burnt the orange doofus with here... unforgettable.
Unforgivable.
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peppertree
(21,639 posts)"Between Bush's killing my Victorian oak tree with that helicopter, and THIS oaf - I can't decide what's worse!"
FakeNoose
(32,645 posts)You can tell they're both having loads of laughs.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,640 posts)jimfields33
(15,827 posts)I actually think all former presidents should go except one.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)His age would seem to be prohibitively advanced for a trip across the big pond.
jimfields33
(15,827 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)For foreign invitations, the priority will be to current heads of state and/or government, or their representatives. Commonwealth countries will probably get more invited, and countries she was queen of (Canada etc.) more still - all former PMs from them would seem quite reasonable, since they were "her PMs" (and current governor generals, and maybe former too). And for countries like the USA, they may invite current leading politicians (eg Nancy Pelosi) before starting on ex-presidents.
But then there's going to be loads of British invitations - current and former politicians, members of the Royal Household, representatives of the charities she was patron of, military, other parts of government (police, NHS, lords lieutenant (who represent her at county level in ceremonies - if you can't get a royal to your opening, you get your county's lord lieutenant instead), and then just friends.
So I wouldn't be surprised if they don't go for former presidents, just because Westminster Abbey doesn't have room for everyone you might invite.
jimfields33
(15,827 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)but there's certainly a lot of British representatives they could invite if the government chose to (and, being a state funeral, it is the government organising this, not the family). There's a good case for former presidents - the heads of state, her equivalents, of the most important ally and friendly country. But I wouldn't think it's a foregone conclusion there can be a huge US delegation.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)In the document, sent to overseas embassies late Saturday night, the department said it regrets that, because of limited space at the state funeral service and associated events, no other members of the principal guests family, staff or entourage may be admitted.
Heads of state unable to attend may choose someone else as their official representative, such as a head of government or senior minister.
...
On the day of the funeral, the heads of state and their partners will arrive at Westminster Abbey in escorted coaches from a location in west London, where because of tight security and road restrictions they will be required to leave their own cars.
https://www.politico.eu/article/queen-elizabeth-joe-biden-king-charles-westminster-abbeyonly-heads-of-state-plus-one-to-attend-queen-elizabeths-funeral/
That last bit's going to be fun, with what the US Secret Service reckons on other countries supplying security for the president ...
Hekate
(90,714 posts)getagrip_already
(14,764 posts)But this was no usual woman.
cab67
(2,993 posts)If the Prime Minister of Canada or President of Mexico ever dies, the President would be in attendance.
Putin? I'd send the VP or Secretary of State.
mountain grammy
(26,625 posts)and represent us with grace and dignity.
Skittles
(153,169 posts)a show of respect to the folk across the pond
not fooled
(5,801 posts)And he won't be a national embarrassment.
Walleye
(31,028 posts)I imagine he consulted the family
Bayard
(22,100 posts)There was genuine warmth and respect there.
Prof. Toru Tanaka
(1,967 posts)from his eight years as VP. Biden will represent the U.S. well.
cab67
(2,993 posts)One of my sisters has severe borderline personality disorder. When my parents died, she made each funeral all about her. My other sister and I were never really able to grieve.
There's no way the future jailbird who used to be president would ever let this be about the decedent and her family. Nor would he let it be about the people for whom she served as queen. He'd make it about himself.
(And I mean it when I say "for whom she served." More than any other hereditary monarch, I think, she really saw the monarchy as a duty and not a mere title. Which is an alien concept to the shaved, deranged orangutan whose presence used to besmirch the White House.)
If he somehow shows up in the UK around the time of the funeral, the press should keep away from him. This isn't about him.
And Biden knows how to be dignified.
LoisB
(7,206 posts)ShazzieB
(16,426 posts)It's nice to have definite confirmation that he plans to be there.
cab67
(2,993 posts)...that for something like this, there should be no question that the President of the United States would be in attendance.
Of course he or she would. She led the government that historically gave rise (albeit unwillingly) to ours. She was an important figure during WW2, the Cold War, and in everything that followed. She symbolized the close alliance not only between the United States and the UK, but between us and commonwealth nations including Australia and Canada.
That such a question would actually be open during the previous administration says much about the organism that led it.
I never met the Queen, but in case any of you are ever in Nairobi - the Railroad Museum there preserves the railway seat she occupied when she learned of her father's death and her assumption of the throne. You can even sit in it.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)was King George III, the monarch during the American Revolution.
So she literally has skin (or in this case blood) in the United States of America's existence.
As an aside, she was also King George III's great, great, great grand-daughter. How can one person be both a great, great, great, great grand-daughter and a great, great, great grand-daughter? Don't ask, unless you want to wade hip-deep into royal bloodlines. It's excruciatingly complicated. 😉
Tarheel_Dem
(31,235 posts)the Obamas are gone from the WH, the Bidens will attend instead. They won't embarrass us, and will be respectful.
rhiannon55
(2,671 posts)I think you meant "the Trumps".....
Tarheel_Dem
(31,235 posts)Obamas can't attend as our heads of state, that I'm glad the Bidens will be attending instead. I didn't mention the last guy's name intentionally. I hate saying his name. I hate the sound of his voice, and I hate the very sight of him. I try, desperately, not to turn every conversation into one about him. The world doesn't revolve around him, but DU certainly seems to.
Tom Yossarian Joad
(19,230 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,235 posts)Response to Tarheel_Dem (Reply #30)
Tom Yossarian Joad This message was self-deleted by its author.
Aristus
(66,388 posts)statement about the Queen's death. If TFG was in there, it would be a cringe-fest.
fierywoman
(7,686 posts)world leaders (and George Takei!) -- but there was nothing listed from tfg (although all other living US presidents were quoted.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)but it was clearly written by someone else, since it was literate, and non-offensive. It was the obvious exception when compared with the rest of his recent unhinged rants.
irisblue
(32,982 posts)Novara
(5,844 posts)ToxMarz
(2,169 posts)Heads of State funerals, she should get to go to the good ones too.