President Paula-Mae Weekes is this morning attending the funeral of Britain’s late Monarch Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.
Weekes left last Friday for London to represent T&T at the late Queen’s funeral.
Some 2,000 guests are attending the funeral being held from 11 am (6 am T&T time.)
Weekes was among the 500 world leaders and foreign dignitaries at yesterday’s reception held by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
Weekes also signed the condolence book at Lancaster Hall, Guardian Media confirmed.
The late Queen had visited T&T in 1966, 1985 and in 2009 when the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference was held in T&T. Weekes is due home tomorrow (Tuesday).
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, who died at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, on September 8, at 96 was Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
Despite criticism from some quarters about the institution the monarchy represents, the late Queen has received received huge tributes and accolades from across the globe for her 70 years as Monarch and her personal style, as world leaders have put side politics to pay respect during the funeral.
Outstanding among them has been the historic tribute paid by the British people—and people from other countries who went to London—and who have stood in queues since last Wednesday up to 6.30 am today (UK time).
This was to to file through Westminster Hall where the Queen’s coffin has been lying in state and pay their respects.
People of all walks of life—old, young and in between—queued from between 9 hours and at one point a maximum of 24 hours in a line which was over five miles long and has created history on its own. They endured chilling temperatures on a few days and rain yesterday.
A number of people with Caribbean roots who were in the queue were interviewed by BBC. Several people wearing red, white and black were also seen on television.
For yesterday’s reception, dignitaries were brought to the Palace by limousine and coaches.
The BBC reported that guests included the leaders of the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel, Brazil, Sri Lanka, European countries and Commonwealth members as well as China’s vice president Wang Qishan.
Representatives of North and South Korea were expected for the funeral as well as from Zimbabwe and Nigeria. J
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness was seen on BBC greeting King Charles 111 last Saturday.
Countries which Britain doesn’t have diplomatic ties with—Russia, Venezuela, Syria, Belaurus, Afghanistan Myanmar —weren’t present, BBC reported.
London’s Metropolitan Police said the event was the biggest operation ever done.
Today’s funeral will receive the attention of the world for a remarkable woman—now legend—whose death has ended an era and introduced another with the reign of her son, King Charles III.