The World Watches the Final Journey of the British Queen... A Crowd of One Million Gathers

State Funeral After 57 Years, Largest Ever
Biden Mourns "A Globally Respected Figure"
UK Deploys 10,000 Troops Over Security Concerns

On the 18th (local time), soldiers of the Royal Guard standing watch over the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, which was placed in Westminster Hall in London, UK, are changing shifts. The Queen's coffin, which has been open to the public for paying respects since the 14th, is guarded around the clock by the Royal Guard in shifts. The Queen's coffin is scheduled to be moved to Westminster Abbey on the 19th, where the state funeral will be held. London, UK = EPA·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] To attend the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, held as a state funeral for the first time in 57 years, around 2,000 people including President Yoon Suk-yeol and major world leaders and foreign dignitaries have gathered in the UK. With the crowd expected to reach one million just to see the funeral procession, it is anticipated to be the largest state funeral in history. The UK government announced that over 10,000 troops have been deployed considering security issues.

According to CNN on the 18th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, visited the Queen’s coffin lying in Westminster Hall, London, to pay his respects. President Biden expressed his condolences, saying, "I offer my condolences to the royal family and the British people. The Queen reminded me of my mother." He also wrote in the condolence book, "Queen Elizabeth was respected worldwide for her unwavering dedication to duty," honoring the deceased.

In addition to President Biden, as the Queen’s funeral is scheduled for the 19th, leaders and dignitaries from around the world arrived in London one after another on this day. According to the UK government, about 2,000 foreign dignitaries, including heads of state representing approximately 200 countries and regions, are expected to attend the Queen’s funeral. From South Korea, President Yoon Suk-yeol and his spouse attended. Major world leaders who visited the UK ahead of the funeral were invited to an official reception hosted by King Charles III.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

This Queen’s funeral is expected to be a massive diplomatic event with a large gathering of heads of state from overseas. Attendance is planned from key EU leaders and officials, including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council. China also announced it would send a condolence delegation led by Vice President Wang Qishan upon the UK government’s invitation.

However, Russia, which invaded Ukraine, was not invited. The UK government stated that Russia and Belarus were not invited because they continue their aggressive war against Ukraine. Additionally, Myanmar, where a military coup occurred in February last year, as well as Syria, Afghanistan, and Venezuela, which do not maintain official diplomatic relations with the UK, did not receive invitations.

The UK government is paying special attention to security concerns due to the expected large crowds at the funeral. According to the BBC, the UK government anticipates that at least one million people will gather to see the funeral procession, marking the first state funeral in 57 years since former Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s passing. Authorities have reportedly deployed over 10,000 personnel, including soldiers and police officers, due to concerns about terrorism and other security issues.

Since the Queen’s coffin was made public on the 14th, a continuous stream of mourners has lined up around Westminster Hall. According to The Guardian, although the UK government announced it would no longer accept additional mourners, the crowd has not diminished. London residents are reportedly waiting in line for over 14 hours to pay their respects despite autumn temperatures dropping to 12 degrees Celsius. With the queue for the Queen’s condolence line stretching up to 8 kilometers, the UK government has installed portable toilets along the line and deployed medical professionals.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The Queen’s funeral will be solemnly held at Westminster Abbey starting at 11 a.m. on the 19th. The funeral will be conducted by the Westminster Abbey clergy, with a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury and a reading by UK Prime Minister Liz Truss. At 11:55 a.m., a two-minute silence will be observed across the UK, and the official funeral will conclude at noon. London Heathrow Airport will suspend aircraft takeoffs and landings for 15 minutes to coincide with the moment of remembrance.

After the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be transported past Buckingham Palace to Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner. The funeral procession will include mounted guards and military bands, with King Charles III and the royal family following on foot. During this time, Big Ben, London’s clock tower, will chime every minute. Gun salutes will be fired at Hyde Park.

Subsequently, the coffin will be moved to Windsor Castle, where a small ceremony attended by the royal family will be held at St. George’s Chapel. Finally, the Queen’s coffin will be interred in the royal vault underground, where her late husband, Prince Philip, who passed away last year, is buried, marking the conclusion of all proceedings.

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