蜜芽传媒

Officials in the UK are working round the clock on preparations for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, which is expected to become the largest gathering of world leaders for decades. US president Joe Biden, King Felipe of Spain and Emperor Naruhito of Japan are among those expected to attend. All 2,000 seats in Westminster Abbey will be taken, with each country limited to one representative plus spouse or partner.

John Kampfner is director of the 鈥楿.K. in the World鈥� initiative at the Chatham House think tank. He told Newsday: 鈥淧eople wonder might this be the last occasion鈥�the Queen鈥檚 brand鈥�her pulling power鈥�was just inordinately large and arguably considerably larger than reflects the current state of Britain鈥�so is this almost the last hurrah for the pageantry?...It鈥檚 something that鈥�King Charles I think is fully aware of.鈥�

(Picture: Members of the public file past as Britain's King Charles III, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York, attend a Vigil at St Giles' Cathedral, in Edinburgh, on September 12, 2022, where the coffin of their mother lies at Rest. Credit: Jane Barlow / POOL / AFP via Getty Images.)