Queen Elizabeth’s funeral: Anthony Albanese gets VIP showing at vigil
Anthony Albanese has laid flowers for Queen Elizabeth in London at the start of a hectic five-day program.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added a bunch of Australian flowers to the vast sea of floral tributes in Green Park, next to Buckingham Palace, in his first event having arrived in London, predicting that Queen Elizabeth would be “remembered for centuries”.
Mr Albanese also remarked that the death of the Queen was so very personal to King Charles, having lost his father as well just last year.
Soon after his plane touched down in London on Friday afternoon, Mr Albanese, in a blue suit, accompanied by his smartly dressed partner Jodie Haydon went to the park and laid his flowers near an Australian flag.
He confirmed he will be speaking Saturday morning, London time, with the British Prime Minister Liz Truss and then have an audience with King Charles.
When asked if it was a time for politics, Mr Albanese said: “It’s not a time for partisanship, this is a time for unity, for coming together, and just for paying tribute to the life and contribution of Queen Elizabeth.”
He said he would convey to the King Australia’s condolence at his loss. “This is of course the loss of the Monarch for Commonwealth nations that have had Queen Elizabeth as our Head of State, but for him it’s the loss of his mother as well, coming so soon after the loss of his father,” Mr Albanese said, adding, “So there is a very personal dimension”.
The prime minister said it was a great honour to be representing Australia in London, and that while Monday will be a sombre day, it will be a day of celebrating a life well lived, a life of service and a “a life in which Queen Elizabeth will be remembered for centuries”.
He added: “Quite clearly, what we can see all around us is the affection in which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was held by people here in the United Kingdom, but also of course in Australia and right around the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth gave a life of service. It was a life of dignity. It’s a life that brought great respect from the world’s citizens, but in particular Australia. It has been an honour to leave a tribute for Queen Elizabeth here”.
Mr Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley now begin a hectic five-day program combining reverence with government business.
The Prime Minister will meet his counterpart Ms Truss at the 115-room Chevening House in Kent on Saturday where the AUKUS pact, Australia’s nuclear powered submarines, and security in the Pacific are expected to be on the agenda. Ms Truss may also touch on the Australian-UK trade agreement, of which she helped introduce when she was trade secretary.
The US has not confirmed any bilateral meetings with other countries at this stage. Mr Albanese may have a chance to speak with the US President Joe Biden at a state dinner at Buckingham Palace on Sunday night.
Mr Hurley will have lunch with King Charles and other Commonwealth governors-general on Saturday at Buckingham Palace, while Mr Albanese will have an audience with the King on Saturday afternoon, also at the palace.
Mr Albanese and Mr Hurley will sign a book of condolence for the Queen at Lancaster House.
On Monday the Australians will attend two services for the Queen: at Westminster Abbey and then at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. The Queen will be buried in a private event alongside Prince Philip early on Tuesday morning.
The Australian contingent, like other heads of state, will be able to witness the lying in state at their convenience, avoiding the 12-hour wait and 9km queue that is snaking along the Thames all the way back to Southwark.
Mr Albanese and Mr Hurley are expected to enter the Westminster Hall sometime on Saturday through the VIP side entrance, which British MPs have been using.
But VIPs jumping the queue has caused fury in London as the public patiently endures long overnight waits, sometimes in rain, while official delegations can walk straight in. Every British MP has been issued with four priority passes and Commons officials can bring one guest.
Former prime minister Theresa May was spotted inside the hall with her husband Philip on Thursday, while two cabinet members, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stood watch over the vigil as part of the Royal Company of Archers.
On Saturday the King, along with his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew, all wearing military uniform will stand watch in the Vigil of the Princes.
On Sunday the Queen’s grandchildren, Prince William, Prince Harry, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips will stand watch, with Harry now allowed to wear military uniform despite being stripped of his military patronages by the Queen for being a non-working royal.
The public has been told the queue could be cut off early if it gets too long and people aren’t guaranteed of getting into the hall in time before Monday morning just before the Queen’s state funeral.
Officials fear the queue could extend to more than 15km over the weekend, with a wait time of up to 30 hours.
More than 120,000 people have already filed past the Queen’s coffin.
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