Indian President Droupadi Murmu to attend funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

Indian President Droupadi Murmu will be attending the state funeral of British monarch Queen Elizabeth II, the ministry of external affairs said on Wednesday. She will be visiting London from September 17 to September 19 and is expected to offer condolences on behalf of the Government of India.

“In the 70 years of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, India-UK ties have evolved, flourished and strengthened immensely. She played an important role in the welfare of millions of people around the world as Head of the Commonwealth,” the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also invited to the funeral, but no confirmation was given about his participation. Modi will travel to Samarkand in Uzbekistan this week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit which will also feature seven other countries including China and Russia.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 at the age of 96. She was the longest ruling monarch in British history and for the last year, she was suffering from “episodic mobility problems”.

Following the announcement, Modi paid tribute to the monarch by saying that she “provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people” and “personified dignity and decency in public”.

King Charles III – the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth II – has succeeded her on the throne and after his ascension, his elder son Prince William inherited his father’s other title, Duke of Cornwall. His wife Catherine will be known as the Duchess of Cornwall.(WION)