Japan’s Emperor Naruhito fly first class to London for Queen’s funeral – but will board shuttle bus

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have boarded a first class flight to London this morning – where they’re expected to board a shuttle bus alongside other world dignitaries to get to the Queen‘s funeral on Monday.

The life of the late Queen Elizabeth II will be celebrated in the ‘reception of the century’ this weekend before she’s officially laid to rest on Monday surrounded by the who’s who of the global elite – including presidents, emperors and royal families.

Traditionally, a Japanese emperor would not attend the funeral of any person other than their own parents due to a deep-rooted cultural belief in which death is considered impure.

His journey to Britain alongside the empress – the first since acceding the throne in 2019 – is considered a sign of respect and highlights the bonds formed between the two royal families during Her Majesty’s reign.

Leaked Government documents revealed plans for world leaders to travel en masse in a bus to Westminster Abbey for Monday’s service, rather that using private cars.

British and US officials have since played down the prospect of US President Joe Biden having to travel on a bus into central London. Emperor Naruhito is expected to be among those travelling to the funeral on the shuttle. 

According to Politico, the 62-year-old and other visiting royals will be bussed to the service under strict Foreign Office guidance.

The website reported Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and the Netherlands’ King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima would also be put on a shuttle bus.

Some embassies have reportedly made as-yet unsuccessful efforts to request exceptions to the Foreign Office guidance. It’s not clear if the Japanese embassy is among them.

A Number 10 spokeswoman refused to comment on the arrangements for individual dignitaries but accepted they will ‘differ depending on the needs of the different leaders’. 

New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern was one of the first world leaders to pay her respects in London on Friday, while the prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina touched down on Thursday afternoon.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has also arrived and brought along with him 10 ‘everyday’ guests who made ‘extraordinary contributions to their communities, and who represent Australian culture and values’.

He went straight to London’s Green Park early on Sunday to lay a wreath among the thousands of bouquets which have been building throughout the city since her death was announced on the evening of September 8.

‘Paying our respects to Her Majesty,’ Mr Albanese said as he shared a photo at Green Park alongside his partner Jodie Haydon. ‘May she rest in eternal peace.’

‘What an honour it is to represent Australia at the Queen’s State Funeral Service. Later this morning I will meet with UK Prime Minister Liz Truss to extend our nation’s condolences.’ 

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials reportedly sent 1,000 handwritten invitations – for both the reception and Monday’s funeral – to heads of state to almost every country in the world bar Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Russia, Belarus and Myanmar. 

Mr Biden is expected to arrive this evening and French president Emmanuel Macron, German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian president Sergio Matarella and Canada’s Justin Trudeau are among other notable attendees.

The US presidential plane, known as Air Force One, tends to land at Stansted Airport on visits to Britain in order to avoid disruption at Heathrow.

It’s highly unlikely the president will be on board the shuttle bus with other dignitaries. Instead, he will likely travel by his armoured vehicle dubbed ‘The Beast’ while he’s in the capital. 

The custom-built Cadillac is said to have eight-inch thick doors, run-flat tires, bulletproof glass, its own oxygen supply, a couple of pints of the president’s blood and a completely sealed interior to ward off a chemical attack.

It is estimated to weigh between seven and nine tonnes.

Several hundred dignitaries from around the world will be in London to pay their respects to the Queen, in what is set to be one of the biggest logistical and diplomatic events in the UK in decades.

No 10 declined to describe the conversations with allies as formal bilateral meetings, and instead portrayed them as chats to offer condolences over the Queen’s death, during which politics is likely to come up.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘There won’t be formal bilaterals in the way we normally recognise them.

‘But we will have a significant number of world leaders, heads of state in the country. She will be meeting a small proportion of those over the weekend.

‘These will be opportunities to discuss memories of Her Majesty, but in some instances it will be the first time they’ve met since she became Prime Minister.’

They will join members of the royal family, UK prime ministers past and present and key figures from public life at Westminster Abbey – which can hold about 2,000 people – at 11am on Monday.

Male dignitaries at the funeral will be advised to wear morning dress or dark lounge suits with a black tie, with dark day dresses and hats for female mourners.

National dress may also be worn, while serving military officers can wear ceremonial uniforms without swords.