President Droupadi Murmu met King Charles III on 18 September at a banquet held at Buckingham Palace before the burial of Queen Elizabeth.
The Queen’s coffin is lying in state at Westminster Hall in London, where the president paid homage to her. At Lancaster House, near Buckingham Palace in London, President Murmu signed a book of condolences for Queen Elizabeth II.
“President Droupadi Murmu signed the Condolence Book in the memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Lancaster House, London,” Rashtrapati Bhawan tweeted.
“President Droupadi Murmu visited Westminster Hall London where the body of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state. The President offered tributes to the departed soul on her own behalf and on behalf of the people of India,” Rashtrapati Bhawan tweeted earlier.
In order to attend the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19 and express condolences on behalf of the Government of India, President Murmu is on an official tour of the United Kingdom from September 17 to September 19. She is one of the leading Asian leaders to attend the event.
Other dignitaries from Asia include Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, and Singaporean President Halimah Yacob. Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, and her Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese will also attend the Queen’s funeral.
On September 17, President Murmu arrived at Gatwick Airport in London for Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey. At 20:50 IST, Murmu and her entourage, which included Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, arrived at London’s Gatwick Airport from the hotel she had just left on her way to the hotel where she will be staying during this tour.
On her arrival at the airport, the president was received by the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.
She will attend the state funeral service at West Gate of Westminster Abbey. And in the afternoon, she will attend the reception hosted by James Cleverly, UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs.
Queen Elizabeth II, 96, former Head of State of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, passed away on September 8. She will be laid to rest with full state honors at Westminster Abbey on September 19.
One-day state mourning was observed across India on September 11 as a mark of respect to UK’s Queen Elizabeth II who passed away on September 8.
