Biden Visits UK to Attend Queen's Funeral... Summit Meeting Postponed

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, who departed to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, have arrived in London. The scheduled summit with UK Prime Minister Liz Truss before the funeral has been postponed.

According to the Associated Press, President Biden and the First Lady arrived in London on the night of the 17th (local time). On the afternoon of the 18th, they plan to visit Westminster Hall to pay respects to the Queen's coffin, followed by attending a reception hosted by the new King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. The Bidens will attend the funeral on the 19th and are expected to return home as soon as the event concludes.

Earlier, on the day of the Queen's passing, the 8th, President Biden issued a separate statement mourning her as "an unparalleled dignified leader who continuously deepened the bedrock-like alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom." On the 14th, he had his first phone call with King Charles III to express condolences on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Meanwhile, the first summit between President Biden and Prime Minister Liz Truss, originally scheduled for the 18th, the day before the funeral, has been postponed to next week during the United Nations General Assembly. The White House and the UK government confirmed that President Biden and Prime Minister Truss will hold a bilateral meeting in New York on the 21st. Previously, the UK government had announced that the two leaders would meet at the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street on the 18th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.