Iden could meet the Queen when he visits UK for G7 summit in June
...and might he be invited to Trooping the Colour or Philip’s 100th birthday?
JOE BIDEN could meet the Queen for the first time since becoming US President when he visits Britain for the G7 summit in June, senior sources have told The Mail on Sunday.
Buckingham Palace officials are understood to be exploring the possibility.
Mr Biden is due to arrive in Britain for the three-day summit in Cornwall starting on June 11. Prince Philip’s 100th birthday is the day before – when Prince Harry is expected – or the President could fly to London for Trooping the Colour on June 12.
The ceremony marks the Queen’s official birthday. By June, it is hoped t hat global vaccination programmes combined with the usual summer drop in infection levels will allow a measure of normal life to have resumed, including the Queen’s performance of her Royal duties. Mr Biden, who prides himself on his Irish roots, will face a diplomatic quandary over whether to tie in a visit to Dublin.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment yesterday on any plans for Mr Biden’s visit.
But depending on his schedule, the President is also likely to receive a formal invitation to visit the Palace of Westminster.
It emerged yesterday that Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has already written to Mr Biden to invite him and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the Commons.
In a letter sent before Mr Biden’s inauguration on January 20, Sir Lindsay said he was ‘shocked and appalled’ at the invasion by Donald Trump supporters of Washington’s Capitol as Congress met to confirm Mr Biden’s election.
Sir Lindsay wrote: ‘When force is used, the argument is lost and every right- minded person across the globe must condemn such action.’
He added: ‘When the time is right,
I would be very honoured if you and Speaker Pelosi would be my guests on a visit to the House of Commons.’
The invitation comes four years after Sir Lindsay’s predecessor, John Bercow, effectively blocked Donald Trump from addressing MPs and peers in the historic Westminster Hall, part of the Palace of Westminster, when he was President.
Mr Bercow cited Mr Trump’s alleged racism and sexism for refusing to give him the honour of a joint address to both Houses of Parliament.
However, Commons s ources yesterday said that Mr Biden would receive that privilege only if his visit this summer was upgraded to a full state visit. One said: ‘If it’s not a state visit, then it’s more normal simply to invite the President to visit the Commons rather than give a joint address in Westminster Hall.’
Last night, Sir Lindsay said: ‘Visits from overseas heads of state to Parliament are rightly a matter for Government.
‘As I mentioned to the President in my letter, when the time is right I would love to welcome him to the House of Commons.’
Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, also acknowledged that the formal invitation to Mr Biden would have to come from the Government, but added that he ‘ would very much welcome a visit to Parliament from a US President’.