- President Donald Trump delivered a lengthy eulogy to the Queen following his death on Thursday.
- Biden said he would attend the funeral, but CNN reported that it was his responsibility to invite the former president of the United States.
- About 2,000 people are expected to attend the Queen’s funeral, scheduled for September 19.
The British royal family announced Saturday that Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will take place on September 19, but it remains to be seen who will be on the guest list.
The Queen died on Thursday at the age of 96 after a historic 70-year reign. Buckingham Palace had planned her death long ago, and her son, now King Charles III, would take the throne immediately.
The Queen’s coffin is being prepared to be laid in Westminster Hall four days before the funeral for the public to pay their respects. Officials expect more than a million people to attend.
A formal funeral is expected at Westminster Abbey, where the Queen was crowned and married Prince Philip in 1947. Around 2,000 people are expected to attend, including European royal families and leaders from around the world.
President Joe Biden said Friday that while he doesn’t yet have details about the service, he will participate. Whether the former U.S. president will be on the guest list is unclear.
CNN Reports on Friday said Britain would leave that decision to Biden.
“Several diplomats have told me that Buckingham Palace will be decided by each country individually,” said CNN chief state correspondent Jeff Zeleny, noting that former President Barack Obama invited George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy In 2013, Carter will join him at Nelson Mandela’s funeral.
“So there is an agreement for the president of the United States to invite other presidents,” he continued. “Who knows, maybe in the spirit of forgiveness and giving, President Biden will invite Donald Trump to aboard Air Force One. I doubt that will happen, but I do expect some type of bipartisan delegation.”
For his part, former President Donald Trump is a big fan of the Queen, whom he met on several official state visits during his presidency. Following news of her death, Trump paid a long-standing tribute to the Queen in a series of posts on the Truth Society.
“Melania and I will always cherish our time with the Queen and will never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom and wonderful sense of humor. What a great and beautiful lady she was – no one To be like her!” he wrote, adding: “May God bless the Queen, may she always reign in our hearts, and may God always take care of her and Prince Philip.”
Trump also shared several photos of him and the Queen smiling together during the visit.
Trump and Biden, on the other hand, may be more hostile than ever after the president’s Sept. 1 speech that “MAGA Republicans” pose a threat to American democracy.
When discussing whether Biden would invite Trump to the funeral, CNN’s Jack Tapper said he thought it was a “smart” move by the president to invite him and see if he would go.
“I don’t think former President Trump wants to be a subordinate to Air Force One, and I think he probably prefers his own plane,” Tapper said.