President Droupadi Murmu visited Westminster Hall in London where the body of Queen Elizabeth II is Lying-in-State.
The President offered tributes to Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 in Scotland on September 8, on her own behalf and on behalf of the people of India.
Murmu is in London on a three-day visit to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II scheduled at Westminster Abbey on Monday. The presidential aircraft carrying Murmu and her entourage members, including foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra landed at London’s Gatwick Airport at 20:50 IST from where she left for the hotel where she will be staying during this tour.
Earlier in the day, she signed a condolence book on behalf of the Indian government. She was joined by Acting High Commissioner Sujit Ghosh at Lancaster House near Buckingham Palace in London, where visiting world leaders are stopping by to sign a book of condolence in memory of the Britain’s longest-serving monarch.
The Indian head of state is invited to a reception hosted by King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla at Buckingham Palace on Sunday evening. All visiting heads of state and overseas guests are expected at the reception, which has been described as an “official state event”.
Murmu will join around 500 world leaders and worldwide royals in a congregation of around 2,000 expected at the Abbey for a sombre ceremony starting at 11am local time on Monday and concluding with a two-minute silence around an hour later.
Hours before the ceremony, the Queen’s Lying-in-State will close to members of public queuing for the past few days. The gates to Abbey will open at 8 am local time on Monday for the visiting dignitaries and guests invited to the funeral.
India observed one-day state mourning on September 11 as a mark of respect to the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II.
