Queen funeral invites for just about everyone … except Vladimir Putin

The British government has decided not to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Queen’s state ­funeral on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be invites to the Queen’s funeral. Picture: AFP

The British government has decided not to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Queen’s state ­funeral on Monday.

The Foreign Office has decided to exclude Russia, Belarus and Myanmar from what is expected to be the biggest peacetime gathering of state leaders seen in Britain in nearly 60 years.

However, it is believed to have invited every other country it has diplomatic relations with to the first state funeral in Britain since Winston Churchill’s in 1965.

The extensive guest list means leaders or representatives from pariah countries such as Iran – which engages in hostage-taking – and North Korea may be present at the funeral.

It is believed that there are still question marks about an ­invitation for Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.

Invitations may have also gone to Saudia Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, who is accused by the West of ­ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The appearance of the Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who knew the Queen well through horse racing and who this year was judged by a British court on the balance of probabilities to have orchestrated the abductions and confinement of two of his children, Princess Latifa and Princess Shamsa, may also be controversial.

In all, some 500 world leaders and diplomats are expected to take their seats inside the 2500-seat Westminster Abbey alongside ­European royalty, extended family members of the royal family and friends of the Queen.

On the night of the Queen’s death, Mr Putin sent the King a condolence note saying the Queen “rightfully enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects, as well as high regard on the world stage”.

It is unclear whether Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, who signed a book of condolences for the Queen, will take time out from the war effort in eastern Ukraine to travel to London.

Nearly all of the Western leaders will descend on London in coming days, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German leader Olaf Sholz and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Spain’s former King Juan Carlos, in exile in Dubai, is also expected, along with all of European royalty.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway and Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco will attend.

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito will travel to London alongside Empress Masako and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

An invitation has been sent to Chinese President Xi Jinping, but he has not left the country for three years, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, other than for a summit meeting this week.

India’s Narendra Modi has not yet confirmed whether he will attend but it’s understood Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told ­officials he’ll be there.

Anthony Albanese is arriving with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and other Pacific leaders on Friday. All of the VIPs have been allowed to bring a spouse but the transport arrangements – being bussed to Westminster Abbey – has caused some consternation among officials more used to luxury limousines.