Queen’s funeral guest list: Putin among some glaring names missing

Nearly 500 dignitaries from around the world are invited to attend Queen Elizabeth’s final rites in London at Westminster Abbey on Monday and some of the glaring names missing in the guest list will be Russian President Vladimir Putin and Afghan leadership.

The 500 and odd guests will join members of the Royal family in final funeral event for the Queen. “This is the biggest international event we have hosted in decades,” a Whitehall source said.

Despite the biggest logistical task ahead with “hundreds of state visits”, the machinery is preparing for the event. Invitations are sent to the head of state plus one guest.

All the Royals are expected to attend the funeral ceremony.

All Foreign Royals

All the foreign royals are also expected to attend, including the Japanese Emperor Naruhito, who was close with the Queen during his days as student in London. Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia have confirmed. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway and Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco have all confirmed their attendances.

Foreign Presidents

World leaders include India President Droupadi Murmu, US President Joe Biden, French president Emmanuel Macron, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian president Sergio Mattarella and Finland’s Sauli Niinisto. Olena Zelensky, wife of the Ukrainian President, will be among those attending.

Queen Elizabeth II

Other world leaders who are also expected to be present are New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern, as well as her Australian and Canadian counterparts Anthony Albanese and Justin Trudeau. Australia’s Governor-General David Hurley will also be joining, as will Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro. South Korean president Yoon Suk-Yeol, Amir Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Emir of Qatar, Israel’s president.

Not attending:

Iran’s Supreme Leader will not be attending, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will attend “if the schedule allows”. President Xi Jinping may not attend.

Invitations to the Queen’s funeral have not been sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin and to presidents of Belarus and Myanmar.

Venezuela and Syria are not invited as Britain does not have full diplomatic relations with them and also no representatives from Afghanistan will be invited.

The seating will be arranged once the deadline for RSVP ends on Thursday, said the Royal Palace.