Russia, 5 other countries not invited for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral
Queen Elizabeth, the longest ruling monarch in British history, passed away on September 8. She will be laid to rest at Westminster Abbey on September 19 and the funeral will be attended by major leaders from all around the world. However, six countries have not been invited.
FollowThe longest-reigning queen in British history, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on September 8 at the age of 96. Major international leaders will attend her funeral on September 19 at Westminster Abbey, where she will be put to rest. Additionally, it will mark the first state funeral held in the UK since the passing of Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1965.
All of the world's leaders have received invites, however six nations were left off the list. Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Venezuela, Syria, and Afghanistan will not be given invitations to the royal funeral, according to a media reports. The action was taken in light of the political environment at the time and the connections between the UK and these countries.
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has drawn criticism from the UK and other western nations, therefore it is not surprising that President Vladimir Putin was not invited to the funeral. Belarus was also not invited because of its connection with Russia.
Syria and Venezuela are the only two countries with which the UK does not have diplomatic ties, while Afghanistan and Syria were removed due to their present political circumstances. Iran, Nicaragua, and North Korea were the only nations to get invitations at the ambassadorial level. It indicates that the state heads were not invited.
Several foreign leaders have already indicated that they will attend the royal funeral, including US Vice President Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau of Canada, and Emmanuel Macron of France.
King Charles III gave his first speech to Parliament as the British monarch on Monday. He paid respect to Queen Elizabeth II and vowed to defend "the precious principles of constitutional governance" in the same way that his "darling late mother" had.
Also read: Remembering Queen Elizabeth II: 10 most-inspiring quotes from UK's longest-serving monarch
The 73-year-old monarch pointed to the numerous reminders of his mother's reign all around the historic Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament complex as he responded to the condolences expressed by the House of Commons and the House of Lords at Westminster Hall in London. He also reflected on the "weight of history."
