Queen funeral latest: Queue stretches for miles as Her Majesty lies in state for second day

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Condolences from world leaders

Boris Johnson at the Eden Project during the G7 summit while the Queen spokes to US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill

/ PA Archive

French President Emmanuel Macron will be among the world leaders in London on Monday for the funeral of the Queen, as he spoke of the “unbreakable” ties between his country and the UK.

Mr Macron said he spoke to the King on Wednesday to offer his and his country’s, promising to “strengthen” the relationship between the UK and France by “following the path” of the late Queen.

The state funeral will see several hundred dignitaries from around the world in London to pay their last respects to the Queen, in what is set to be one of the biggest logistical and diplomatic events in the UK in the decades.

They will join members of the royal family, UK prime ministers past and present, and key figures from public life at Westminster Abbey – the historic church which can hold about 2,000 people – at 11am on Monday.

Mr Macron tweeted: “In a phone conversation with His Majesty King Charles III last night, I express France’s condolences on the death of his mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I will attend the funeral in London on Monday.

“The ties between France and the United Kingdom are unbreakable. We will continue to strengthen them, following the path laid by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”

No guest list has been published yet, but US President Joe Biden was among the first to say he will be flying in with his wife, Jill.

The leaders of most Commonwealth countries are expected to attend, with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying she will make the nearly 24-hour journey with a delegation of five others.

Her Canadian and Australian counterparts, Justin Trudeau and Anthony Albanese, have also confirmed their attendance.

Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro are among those attending, along with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

King Felipe of Spain and his wife, Queen Letizia, are among the European royals who will attend.

Emperor Naruhito of Japan is also set to travel to London, in what would be his first overseas trip since ascending the throne in 2019.

Prime Minister Liz Truss is not expected to hold any formal bilateral meetings with world leaders during the mourning period, but the funeral is still likely to offer an opportunity for some informal conversations with allies.

The Times newspaper reported on Thursday that the Prime Minister is expected to hold one-to-one talks with Mr Biden and other allies when they gather in London.

Ms Truss, who during the campaign to become Tory leader sparked controversy by saying the “jury’s out” over whether Mr Macron is a “friend or foe”, may now get a chance for her first face-to-face conversation with the French leader since becoming prime minister.

There has also been speculation that Ms Truss could speak to Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin on the margins of the funeral, amid strained relations between the two countries over the continuing row about the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Invitations to the Queen’s state funeral have not been sent to Russia, Belarus or Myanmar, while Iran will only be represented at an ambassadorial level, it is understood.

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