A lot of people think that when it comes to the death of an individual and the traditions of laying someone to rest — a funeral is a funeral is a funeral. And for the average Joe, that’s usually pretty correct. Every religion has its own practices and the traditions carry a wide range of individualities. But at the end of the day, it pretty typically consists of a gathering of family, friends, and loved ones to celebrate the departed’s life and mourn their passing.
But when it comes to a state funeral, a funeral is not simply a funeral.
News broke this week that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-reigning monarch, passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle, her royal residence in Scotland where she spends her traditional summer retreat in the Scottish Highlands, at 96 years old.
When someone like the literal Queen of England dies, it’s just not as simple as your regular, run-of-the-mill funeral you’d expect for an average citizen. It becomes a global affair and, as one of the most powerful nations in the world, there are serious standards that are expected out of the United States, including a delegation that, at this level, would require the presence of the president himself.
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Of course, when you’re talking about the state funeral of a monarch, a lot of world leaders and officials will be in attendance and the president is required to limit the US delegation that will attend. Ultimately, as pointed out by CNN, this means that President Joe Biden holds the power to determine who, from the United States, will attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral — and that includes the decision as to whether or not Donald Trump gets to go.
Former presidents are not expecting to receive individual funeral invitations from Buckingham Palace, according to two people familiar with protocol, with the expectation that the US will get one official invitation through the White House.
This means Biden will ultimately decide who will join his official delegation to the funeral ceremonies in the United Kingdom. No decisions will be made until a formal invitation is made from the palace, a White House official said, even as preliminary discussions are already taking place.
The question is how former President Donald Trump fits into the picture. While he remembered the Queen this week as a ‘grand and beautiful lady,’ Trump has often been either intentionally absent — or purposefully excluded — from meetings of the so-called Presidents Club.”
Of course, Buckingham Palace maintains the discretion to send out personal invitations. But something tells me Donald isn’t going to get one of those.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
