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Daily Mirror

Nigel Nelson

Full guest list for Queen's funeral as world leaders descend on London

United Nations Joe Biden Masako Queen Elizabeth II Jill Biden London David Attenborough Jacinda Ardern Liz Truss United States

World leaders began descending on London ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral – amid Britain’s biggest ever security operation.

US president Joe Biden and Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako were among the first of more than 100 royals, heads of state and diplomats attending.

Mr Biden landed in the UK on Air Force One with the First Lady, Jill Biden, shortly after 5pm.

Plans to meet new PM Liz Truss at Downing Street today were put off until a UN session on Wednesday. But No10 will host Canada’s Justin Trudeau, Irish leader Micheál Martin and Poland’s Andrzej Duda.

Yesterday Ms Truss met New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern and her Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the Government’s Chevening residence.

With two million mourners expected, the funeral is an epic security challenge far surpassing the 2012 Olympics and June’s Platinum Jubilee.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden (AFP via Getty Images)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (Getty Images)

As well as the 10,000 uniformed officers on duty, snipers will be stationed on rooftops and drones will provide security chiefs with constant visual updates.

Every lamppost on the route has been examined and sealed and people known to have potentially dangerous royal obsessions are being monitored by a special team.

Foreign royalty flying in include Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway and Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco.

Royals from Greece, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium will also be there.

The six surviving former British PMs who served under the Queen will attend, along with Ms Truss.

European leaders there will include French president Emmanuel Macron, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian president Sergio Mattarella and Finland’s Sauli Niinistö, as well as European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Charles Michel.

But a ban on VIPs’ official vehicles sparked a row over a “two-tier” system after Mr Biden was allowed his armoured limo and Israel’s Isaac Herzog was also exempted.

Former prime ministers Theresa may, John Major, and Baroness Scotland, (second row) former prime ministers Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, (third row) former prime ministers David Cameron and Boris Johnson (PA)

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky ’s wife Olena is also set to be there – while neither Russia nor Belarus have been invited. The military regime of Myanmar, accused over deaths of democracy campaigners, have also been left out, while Iran will have only an ambassador.

Westminster Abbey could not fit all the heads of state the Queen met in her lifetime, so former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump were also not invited.

But Royal Family favourite Sir David Attenborough, born 17 days after the Queen and producer of several of her Christmas speeches, will join mourners in the Abbey.

The Queen’s racing advisor John Warren, who spent the weekend at Balmoral days before her death, will also be there. He said: “We sat for hours strategising, making plans. She was in such a healthy state of mind and in tremendous form.

“She really loved to talk about her horses, right to the very end.”

Queen Elizabeth II and her racing manager John Warren (Getty Images)

The 2,000 guests will include delegates picked from across the Commonwealth. The Maori king, Kiingi Tuheitia, will be among New Zealand’s delegation, while Canada selected Killing Eve star Sandra Oh.

The doors to Westminster Abbey will open at 8am, three hours before the service. Her Majesty’s coffin will leave Westminster Hall at 10.35am.

The State gun carriage will bear her casket, drawn by 98 Royal Navy sailors in a tradition dating back to the funeral of Queen Victoria.

Jane Pavey, one of nine embroiderers who have worked for three years on the clerics’ ceremonial robes, said: “They’ll look splendid. We’ll certainly do the Queen proud.”