World Leaders Mark End of Era at Funeral of Queen Elizabeth in London

Leaders from around the world converged on London to mark the end of an era with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Some 2,000 people were in attendance at the queen’s state funeral service on Monday in Westminster Abbey in London, including leaders from nearly every country in the Middle East and North Africa. US President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, arrived in London on Sunday and paid their respects in Westminster Hall. Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal, also paid their respects at the coffin on Sunday. Herzog joined world leaders, including Arab leaders, on Sunday evening at a state reception for the visitors. Among the Arab leaders in attendance were Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Queen Rania; Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates; Kuwaiti Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; and Dubai’s ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Morocco’s Crown Prince Moulay Hassan was scheduled to attend the funeral, as well as Libyan diplomat Musa al-Koni. Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh will represent the Palestinian Authority at the funeral. Saudi Arabia was set to be represented by Prince Turki bin Mohammed al Saud, a Saudi cabinet member, rather than de-facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, despite early speculation that MBS would attend. Lebanon’s interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati also was expected to attend the funeral. Syria is one of six countries that was not invited to send a representative to the funeral, alongside Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Venezuela.  As head of state for the United Kingdom and more than a dozen Commonwealth countries, the queen traveled the world extensively, including to multiple locations in the Middle East, although she never visited Israel. She was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, spending 70 years on the throne.