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Death of Queen Elizabeth II

Russian officials did not plan to attend Elizabeth II's funeral — embassy

Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 in Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday

LONDON, September 13. /TASS/. Russian officials were not planning to participate in protocol events in connection with the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II because of the poor state of relations between Moscow and London, the Russian embassy in the United Kingdom told TASS on Tuesday.

"Due to the deplorable state of Russia-UK bilateral ties, as well as London's essentially hostile course towards our country, Russian officials were not planning to participate in protocol events organized by the British government in connection with the death of Queen Elizabeth II," the diplomatic mission said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the PA news agency reported, citing a source, that the British government did not send out invitations to Queen Elizabeth II's funeral to representatives of Russia, Belarus and Myanmar. According to their information, about 500 high-ranking officials from all over the world will be present at the monarch's funeral on September 19. It is noted that Iran, in particular, will be represented at the ambassador level. President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Letizia have also confirmed their attendance.

Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 in Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday. She was the longest-ruling monarch in British history — her reign lasted 70 years and seven months. Her eldest son, 73-year-old Charles, became the new monarch, and he will officially reign under the title of His Majesty King Charles III.

The funeral ceremony of the Queen will take place in the Westminster Abbey in London on September 19. The queen will be buried at the King George VI Memorial Chapel in the Windsor Castle near London. Elizabeth II's father and mother George VI (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002) and her sister Margaret (1930-2002) are buried there as well. The queen's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with whom she lived together for 73 years, is temporarily buried in the royal crypt on the church grounds, his body will be moved to the chapel after Elizabeth II's funeral.

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Death of Queen Elizabeth II

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