Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral: These Are the Members of the Royal Family, World Leaders, and Other European Royals Confirmed to Attend
Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral will take place on Monday, September 19 at Westminster Abbey in London. This event will be the culmination of the 10-day mourning period in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth after Queen Elizabeth died on Thursday, September 8.
The service will draw dignitaries from across the globe, as well as an audience of millions on TV and online. Here are the members of the royal family, world leaders, and other European royals who’ve been confirmed to attend.
Heads of state and foreign royals will gather at the Royal Hospital Chelsea ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral
On Monday morning, the various heads of state and foreign royals who have traveled to London for the funeral will gather at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in West London — a home for retired soldiers. Once everyone has gathered, they will travel together to Westminster Abbey.
Buckingham Palace has not released the list of distinguished names who will be attending. But, we do know that President Joe Biden has said he will travel to London for the funeral. Australia’s leader, Anthony Albanese, and New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, have accepted invitations, and so has Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
The leaders of Germany and Italy have also said they will attend. As well as Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, of Japan, the new president of Kenya, William Ruto, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
After the funeral, a senior palace official says that visiting heads of state and government representatives will attend a reception hosted by the foreign secretary.
All of the senior members of the British royal family will be in attendance
Among the guests sitting in the 2,000 seats at Westminster Abbey will be numerous members of the British royal family. The queen’s four children – King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward – will be there alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort, Sir Timothy Laurence, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
The Queen’s grandchildren Princes William and Harry, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn are all on the guest list. Along with spouses Catherine, the Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Jack Brooksbank.
Other likely attendees include the queen’s cousins the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.
Royals from across Europe will attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral
There will also be members of royalty from across Europe in attendance. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium have confirmed they will be there. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, and the king’s mother, Princess Beatrix, have also confirmed their attendance.
Representing Spain as their head of state will be King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia Ortiz, as well as former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia. Also on the funeral guest list:
- Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
- Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
- Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco
- King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway
- King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
The palace revealed in a statement that 200 people from the queen’s honors list this year will also be part of the congregation. This includes people who have volunteered in their local communities, and those who’ve made “extraordinary contributions” to the Covid-19 pandemic response.
