Thibault Hue
modified to
6:40 p.m., September 18, 2022
This Monday will take place the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, in London. For the occasion, nearly 500 leaders made the trip. Among them, Joe Biden or Emmanuel Macron. In the streets of the city, the organizers finish preparing everything to best accommodate the million people expected.
The funeral of the century. It is a term used more and more often by the media and the government faced with the size of the event. This Monday, nearly 2,000 guests are expected at the ceremony. Tens of thousands of people will attend the funeral in the streets of London, including outside Westminster Abbey, where the Queen was crowned 69 years ago.
And if hundreds of heads of state are expected in the next few hours in London, Joe Biden, the American president, but also Emmanuel Macron, have already arrived in the British capital. All smiles, sunglasses on his nose, the president arrived at Westminster Hall this Sunday afternoon with Brigitte Macron on his arm. The couple stopped for a few moments in front of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.
XXL safety device
Like Emmanuel Macron, more than 500 leaders will arrive overnight. To ensure their safety, an exceptional device is in place. Nearly 10,000 police and 1,500 British military police officers are deployed. Snipers should even be positioned on the roof. This was already the case in Edinburgh on Monday for the coffin procession.
According to Simon Morgan, a former officer in charge of the protection of the royal family, this is the largest operation ever carried out by the British police.
Final adjustments
In front of Westminster, security is preparing the final adjustments. More than a million people are expected in the streets of the capital on Monday. Some even wait with tents to be sure of being in the front row.
And on the side of Hyde Park, where the funeral will be broadcast, everything is almost ready too. The giant screens are mounted, the last connections settled. In a few hours, they will be more than 100,000 in this large square in the city center to attend the funeral and to say goodbye to the one who reigned over the United Kingdom for 70 years.