Sep 18 2022 13:03
Britain completes its preparations for the solemn state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday, while King Charles III prepares to host world leaders who will attend the ceremony, as mourners continue for the last 24 hours to cast their last glimpses of the coffin.
For that occasion, Britain developed a plan described as the largest operation to control security and protection in the history of the Kingdom since World War II.
The United Kingdom will witness a state funeral, the first since World War II, specifically since the funeral of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1965.
Crowds began gathering in the vicinity of Westminster Abbey, where the state funeral of the Queen will be held, which is expected to paralyze London and be watched by billions around the world.
US President Joe Biden went to Britain on Saturday night, and is one of dozens of leaders of countries converging on Britain, whose police are organizing their largest security operations to keep pace with the arrangements for the historic funeral of the longest-serving queen in her history.
According to the “Washington Post” newspaper, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain was consulted before her death about all arrangements, except for the security aspect, apparently.
British security expects the country to witness the largest operation to control security and protection in the history of the Kingdom in six decades, with official expectations for the attendance of hundreds of guests from more than two hundred countries, not to mention millions of people waiting to be crowded in the streets of London.
In the face of these expectations and their sensitivity, the police are trying to achieve a balance between safety, security and ceremonies for the success of the funeral activities.
And tomorrow, Monday, the expected day, snipers will be stationed on rooftops in London, while drones will hover over the area, and ten thousand police officers in uniform, as well as thousands of officers in civilian clothes, will participate among the crowds.
A few days ago, the police, through their patrols and trained dogs, combed the main areas after calling in all its members for help.
It is also noted that police personnel came from every corner of the country to help. From the Welsh Cavalry, to the Royal Air Force, more than 2,500 regular military personnel will be on standby at any moment.
Officials from Britain’s domestic and foreign intelligence agencies, MI5 and MI6, also review terrorist threats as part of the massive security team working at the funeral.
The participation of kings and heads of state
European Union leaders, France, Japan and other countries will attend. Charles, 73, the oldest heir to the throne, will receive dozens of officials arriving for the funeral, including Biden, at Buckingham Palace on Sunday evening.
A number of leaders, including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Australia’s Anthony Albanese and Canada’s Justin Trudeau, gave their last glimpses of the casket in Westminster Hall.
In a tweet, Albanese praised the late Queen’s performance “to duty, faith, family and the Commonwealth.”
For his part, Trudeau considered, after signing the condolence book, that Queen Elizabeth II “worked all her life and shouldered the burden of her duties with unparalleled tact.”
Biden is due to give a final look at the coffin on Sunday, and said the late queen “embodied an era”.
The influx of international officials and hundreds of thousands of mourners from across Britain and the world poses a huge challenge to British police.
More than 2,000 police were called from across the country to support the London police.
After the funeral, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin will be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in west London, where she will be buried in a family ceremony alongside her father, King George VI, and her mother and husband, Philip.
On Sunday, a minute of silence will be held in Britain at 2:00 (19:00 GMT) in honor of the Queen’s “life and legacy”.
Some mourners began congregating along the funeral path in central London to reserve a good location to watch the ceremony.
142 sailors will pull a cart on which the queen’s coffin will be placed.
Source: agencies
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