The King’s black Rolls-Royce arrived in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace on Sunday morning as prime ministers and presidents from the US to Rwanda gathered. He waved to the crowds who followed him across Britain last week on his “integration tour”, before holding his second meeting with Liz Truss, the prime minister. Meetings with prime ministers of countries where he is also head of state followed. They include Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Gaston Alphonso Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. King Charles III receives the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Brown, in Room 1844 at Buckingham Palace. Photo: Kirsty O’Connor/AP The King had met other heads of state on Saturday, including the prime ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Justin Trudeau, Anthony Albanese and Jacinda Ardern. The meetings with the kingdom’s leaders came amid speculation about other countries opting to become democracies following the queen’s death. On Sunday Ardern said she had no intention of instigating that process for New Zealand, but said “there will continue to be an evolution in our relationship”. On Sunday night Charles released a statement expressing how he and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have been “deeply moved by the many messages of condolence and support we have received” and “moved beyond measure” by the crowds. who came to pay tribute to the Queen in London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough in Northern Ireland and Cardiff. She said “thank you to all those countless people who have been so supportive and comforting to my family and myself in this time of grief.” King Charles III with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo: Reuters Monday’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, followed by a ceremony and burial in Windsor, concludes the King’s 1,900-mile tour of the UK. He had only had one day out of the limelight since the Queen’s death when he retired to Highgrove in Gloucestershire, where he built a garden retreat from local stone, timber and bricks made from Highgrove clay. It has been reported that he prayed inside a private chapel. After hosting a reception for hundreds of heads of state, senior world leaders and diplomats at Buckingham Palace, the King and Camilla, Queen Consort, were expected to spend the night in London ahead of Monday’s state funeral starting at 11am at Westminster Abbey . The Prince and Princess of Wales were expected to stay at Adelaide Cottage, a house on the Windsor Estate, their new home after moving from London just a few weeks ago. On Sunday night, it was confirmed that their two eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, will attend the Queen’s state funeral. The nine-year-old future king and his seven-year-old sister will gather with 2,000 people at Westminster Abbey. After they “stepped back” as senior members of the royal family in January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ceased to be members of the royal family and so were not invited to the diplomatic reception. It was reported that they had to be called off after earlier being asked to attend, which can be seen as a new cause of rift between Prince Harry and the royal family. Buckingham Palace did not respond to a request for comment. The Duke of York was also not invited to the reception, having been stripped of his royal duties due to his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. On Sunday he paid his own tribute to the Queen in an emotional statement on the eve of her funeral that began: “Dear Mum, Mother, Your Majesty, three in one.” The queen’s second eldest son said: “Your Majesty, it has been an honor and a privilege to serve you. Mother of the nation, your devotion and personal service to our nation is unique and unique. People show you their love and respect in so many different ways and I know you look at it, honoring their respect. Mom, I will cherish your love for a son, your compassion, your care, your trust forever. I found your knowledge and wisdom infinite, without limits or limitations. I will miss your knowledge, advice and humor.” Along with the statement, his spokesman sent a Cecil Beaton photo of the Queen holding baby Andrew shortly after his birth in 1960, her cheek resting on his head. At 8 p.m. the country was called to observe a minute’s silence with people invited to mark the occasion privately at home, on their doorstep or in their street, or at community events and vigils. An interview with the Queen Consort was also broadcast on the BBC in which she described how Queen Elizabeth II was a “lonely woman” in a male-dominated world. He said: “I can’t remember anyone but the Queen being there.” Giant screens were also erected in various locations across the UK to broadcast the service, including London’s Hyde Park and Coleraine Town Hall in Northern Ireland. Around 125 cinemas will also screen the event.
