Truss, who became prime minister two weeks ago, was accompanied by her husband, Hugh O’Leary, to the service at Westminster Abbey. She was greeted by members of the clergy and shook hands in turn before taking her seat. He read the second lesson for mourners from John 14, as dignitaries gathered in Westminster Abbey, with a lesson of consolation, evoking the promise of eternal life in heaven. “Let not your heart be troubled. you believe in God,” he read. Scotland, the Commonwealth secretary-general and former attorney-general under Labour, gave the first reading, from 1 Corinthians 15. The congregation included all six living former prime ministers: John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Theresa May, David Cameron and Boris Johnson. There was a brief moment of initial confusion as the most recent incumbents – May, Cameron and Johnson – arrived first with their spouses, but had to wait for their predecessors to arrive to testify in chronological order. Many more politicians from government and opposition parties also attended the funeral, including Keir Starmer, who on Monday praised the royal family for their “absolutely fantastic” handling of the past 10 days. Other senior politicians included Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. “It’s been the big constant,” Sturgeon said, adding it was a “huge honour” to represent Scotland. Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill also attended the state funeral, demonstrating how far relations between her party and the British royal family have come. “Today I respectfully join leaders from Britain, Ireland and the international community at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II as she is laid to rest,” he said. “It is a sad day for her family who are grieving her loss and all those with a British identity from across our community who are also grieving.” The last Prime Minister during a monarch’s state funeral was Winston Churchill, who laid a wreath and message ‘For Valour’ at the service for King George VI. After attending the state funeral, Truss went separately to Windsor for the smaller engagement service for the Queen, with the Major and Blair, who are knighted, also attending. He will later travel to New York for the UN general assembly.
