US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II lying-in-state
- The president, accompanied by his wife and the US ambassador to Britain, made the sign of the cross and briefly placed his hand on his heart during the visit
- He is one of hundreds of world leaders travelling to the UK to pay their respects, but Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is no longer expected
US President Joe Biden paid his last respects to Queen Elizabeth II in London on Sunday, appearing on a balcony in Westminster Hall as a stream of people filed past the late-monarch’s coffin.
The president made the sign of the cross and briefly placed his hand on his heart during the visit as he stood quietly near the casket. The Bidens were joined by US Ambassador Jane Hartley.
The President also signed the official condolence book and attended a reception at Buckingham Palace on Sunday, hosted by King Charles III, before attending the state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
The US leader joined Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, French President Emmanuel Macron and other heads of state from around the world headed at the reception.
The president, who flew in to the UK late on Saturday, has said King Charles’s mother, who reigned for a record-breaking 70 years until her death on September 8 aged 96, “defined an era”.
