World leaders pay their respects

LEADERS HAILING FROM 175 COUNTRIES ATTEND FUNERAL

THE great and the good from 175 nations sat side by side to pay tribute to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey.

As well as President Michael D Higgins (81) and Taoiseach Michael Martin (62), the dignitaries included US President Joe Biden (79), Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau (50), New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern (42), Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska (44), and French President Emmanuel Macron (44) with his wife, Brigitte (69).

Also there was the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah (76), who has ruled for 55 years and is now the world’s longest reigning monarch.

More than 20 kings and queens from 12 royal houses including Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (82) were on the guest list, as were European Union President Charles Michel (46) and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro (67).

Most of the 500 or so dignitaries were taken to the Abbey by bus from the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Mr Biden and wife Jill travelled in armoured limo ‘The Beast’, which temporarily got stuck in traffic outside a Pret a Manger shop near Marble Arch.

The pair sat 14 rows from the front in the south transept, behind Polish president Andrzej Duda (50) and wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda (50).

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito (62) and his wife Empress Masako (58) were there, as were King Abdullah II (60) and Queen Rania (52) of Jordan, and Spanish King Felipe (52) and Queen Letizia (50).

Book

Before the service Mr Trudeau told how he first met the Queen aged seven when dad Pierre was Canadian leader. He said: “I had to rush home from school to meet her.

“I’ll miss her terribly,

I’m still absorbing. Just coming to London and not be able to see her is something that catches me off guard a little bit.”

Ms Zelenska, whose husband Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a book of condolence at the British embassy in Kyiv, said she was there

“on behalf of all Ukrainians”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (69) was not invited. Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan were not represented.

The funeral was the “largest policing operation” in Met history.

HONOUR: Justin and Sophie Trudeau and (left) Sultan of Brunei and Emperor Naruhito of Japan

REGARD: President Michael D Higgins and wife Sabina attending funeral in London yesterday

LINKING ARMS: Macron arrives with wife Brigitte

TRIBUTE: Micheal Martin paying his respects by signing book of condolences for Queen in London

ALL BLACK: New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern

BEAST: Biden’s motorcade in transit

REVERENCE: US President Joe Biden arriving at the funeral yesterday

IN THE ABBEY: Joe and Jill Biden walk to their seats