Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood before the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in the Ardent Chapel in London on Saturday, two days before the official funeral. He is due to meet King Charles III later today.
Trudeau arrived in London on Friday as part of a Canadian delegation that also includes Governor General Mary Simon, four former prime ministers and three national Indigenous leaders.
The Prime Minister visited the State in Westminster Hall around noon local time. Quietly, he gazed at the queen’s coffin for a few seconds, perched from the rostrum reserved for foreign delegations. Mr. Trudeau was accompanied by his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau.
Minutes later he was due to go to Lancaster House to sign the book of condolences for the Queen, who died aged 96 just over a week ago.
It is in the middle of the afternoon, local time, that Mr. Trudeau will meet the new king, Charles III, at Buckingham Palace.
Last week, after the proclamation of the accession to the throne of the new sovereign, in Ottawa, Mr. Trudeau stressed in a press release that “Canada has a long-standing relationship and a close friendship with His Majesty King Charles III “.
“We are confident that his deep commitment to education, the environment and youth empowerment will provide a solid foundation on which he will build as he continues to work for the betterment of the Commonwealth and its people,” added the Prime Minister.
In London on Saturday, thousands of people spent the night queuing to view the Queen’s coffin. Authorities have warned that people arriving in line may wait 24 hours.
The streets around the Palace of Westminster were sealed off with metal fencing on Friday, and a large contingent of police, from across the UK, are already leading crowds who have come to pay their respects to the Queen.
The level of security has also been increased in anticipation of Monday’s funeral. In addition to dozens of other world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, hundreds of thousands of “ordinary citizens” are also expected to attend the funeral as close as possible.