Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96 after an unprecedented 70-year reign, the Royal Family announced on Thursday.
The Queen, who ascended to the throne in 1952 and was the world’s longest-reigning monarch at the time of her death, played a major role in facilitating the US and UK’s “special” diplomatic relationship.
The Queen traveled to Washington, DC for the first time to meet President Harry Truman in 1951 when she was still a princess. She’s met 12 US American presidents total at places including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the White House, and even a Baltimore Orioles game.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have received individual invitations to the Queen’s funeral, unexpectedly closing off a potential avenue for former President Donald Trump to attend.
Queen Elizabeth II of England died Thursday afternoon local time after 70 years on the British throne. A state funeral is planned for September 19.
But amid the preparations, the Bidens have received two personal invitations, rather than being asked to form a US delegation, according to CNN, which cited unnamed White House officials.
Amid the general expectation that the White House would be invited to form a delegation, there has been chatter weighing up whether Biden would involve Trump. A spokesperson for the 45th president did not immediately respond to Insider’s query.
Trump, who met the Queen in 2018 and 2019, professed to be very fond of her, and issued an effusive statement soon after her death which called her a “grand and beautiful lady.”
“There was nobody like her!” he wrote.
However, it’s never been entirely clear whether that affection was reciprocated. Trump’s visits to the UK were marred by mass protests and moments when he broke protocol, including keeping her waiting for around 10 minutes.
One wild internet theory even speculated that the Queen — who never publicly revealed her political feelings — was sending a subtle anti-Trump message through her choice of brooch.
Countries often invite leaders to form delegations for major funerals, leaving the decision open for the sitting president to compile its own list of dignitaries — such as former presidents — which can reflect a politically bipartisan array of guests.
In 2013, then-President Barack Obama led a delegation to the state funeral of Nelson Mandela that included former president George W. Bush and Sen. Ted Cruz, as The Guardian reported at the time.
Vice President Kamala Harris is due to lead a US delegation to the planned funeral of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September, the White House confirmed on September 7.
At one of the UK’s largest royal funerals, that of the Queen Mother, then-First Lady Laura Bush led a US delegation that included two former ambassadors.
Biden formally accepted the invitation to the Queen’s funeral on Sunday, as the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Read the original article on Insider
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Esrewyah Liam wits-an suck ya dada Bidung libtard
Hey NGN, don’t you ever get tired of bashing the Right – of course not, that’s your job, isn’t it!
This is all a lie! Donald Trump was not snubbed It was Joe Biden who was asked to please not attend. But you know Joe, no brains Biden he will stumble through it and embarrass America again.
Anything to try to discredit former POTUS Trump. How many former presidents are still alive? Were they also “snubbed?” Just another angle to slam one of the best presidents we have had!! But in reality the swamp critters are only trying to “get even” for their loss of habitat.
Donald J. Trump will honor the queen – dead or alive – with or without the rest of the world. –
Anyone should attend a funeral,who wants too. The crowd will be many. Everyone isn’t going to be up front, for all to show.