World leaders will have to avoid private jets to travel to the United Kingdom for the funeral of Elizabeth II and collective buses will replace helicopters and personal cars for their trips to London, the Politico site reported on Monday.
The funeral of the monarch, who died on Thursday at the age of 96, will take place on Monday, September 19, at Westminster Abbey in London. Dignitaries from around the world are expected, including the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and many crowned heads.
Il s’agit d’un immense défi sécuritaire et logistique pour les autorités, que selon le site Politico I sued aux leaders étrangers d’utiliser, “whenever it is possible”, des vols commerciaux et non des avions privés pour se rendre au United Kingdom.
Helicopters to move around the British capital and private cars to get to the funeral are also forgotten: world leaders will travel to Westminster Abbey by bus, according to Foreign Office documents obtained by Politico.
no helicopters either
“You can imagine Joe Biden on a bus, right?” a foreign ambassador in London was annoyed on Sunday, quoted by the media. The American president travels in his Air Force One plane and travels with his armored vehicle, nicknamed “The Beast”.
In addition, only one representative per country and their husband or wife will be allowed to enter Westminster Abbey, Politico said, citing a note sent to embassies on Saturday.
“Due to limited space during the state funeral and related events, no other family members, staff, or entourage of the primary guest will be admitted,” the note reads.
On the day of the funeral, “for security reasons and because of traffic interruptions,” the leaders will not have the right to travel by private car, but buses will be made available to them.
If, despite British recommendations, the leaders still come by plane, the government warns in its note that London’s Heathrow airport will not be available for private flights and therefore they will have to target “less congested airports”. .
Joe Biden, but also French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and many “Royals” from all over the world are expected in London for this historic funeral.
Source: BFM TV
