Foreign Office officials ‘ditched buses for dignitaries’ at the King’s coronation after backlash at the Queen’s funeral: ‘Macron was peeved but some of the Gulf leaders really were furious’
Given the huge number of world leaders attending the Queen’s funeral, it was clear that they could not expect them all to arrive and leave the service at Westminster Abbey in their cars.
As a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office explained, “It would have taken several hours each way.”
Moreover, a queue of hundreds of cars and vehicles is unlikely to reflect well on the King’s oft-cited views on sustainability and climate change. So all the leaders will go by bus.
“Most were happy with it, especially since European monarchs do this kind of thing all the time,” says one senior Foreign Office official.
“However, some, including French President Macron’s team, did not like it at all.
French President Macron with his wife Brigitte Macron at the Queen’s funeral on September 19, 2022.
Heads of state travel by bus to meet King Charles before the Queen’s funeral.
French officials were especially outraged that an exception was made for US President Joe Biden.
President Macron’s team didn’t like the bus plan “at all”
“They were worried about how it would affect their home base, that people might bully them.”
French officials were particularly unhappy that an exception was made for US President Joe Biden, whose security would not allow him to travel in anything other than his bomb-proof limousine.
Foreign Office officials learned one important lesson from the Queen’s funeral. “Macron was annoyed, but some Gulf leaders were really furious,” says one diplomatic source, “so we ditched (the buses) for the coronation.”
It wouldn’t be environmentally friendly, but it would be impossible to avoid the cavalcade of limousines filling the streets around Westminster Abbey at first light.
© Robert Hardman, 2024
- Adapted from The New King Charles III. New Court. The Inside Story by Robert Hardman, published by Macmillan on 18 January, priced £22. To order a copy for £17.60 (offer valid until 29 February 2024; UK P&P free on orders over £25) visit the Postal Store. co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.