President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrived in London and paid their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall on Sunday, one day before her state funeral.
Joe Biden, 79, and Jill Biden, 71, are two of the latest politicians to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. The U.S. president and first lady were photographed standing on a VIP balcony while staring down at the late monarch‘s coffin in Westminster Hall on Sunday. The commander-in-chief put his hand to his heart at one point, and appeared to give a quick salute before he continued walking through the historical hall.
Joe wore a classic black and white suit and tie during the visit while Jill donned a silky black outfit. They both looked somber throughout their time around the coffin and later went to Lancaster House, where they signed a book of condolences for Her Majesty’s family. Joe also spoke with reporters and said he thought the queen had “dignity” during her 70 years of service and reminded him of his own mother.
“To all the people of England, to all the people of the United Kingdom, our hearts go out to you’re fortunate to have had her [The Queen] for 70 years, we all were. The world was better for her, we all were,” Joe said, before bringing up the similarities to his own mother. “The way she touched when she leaned over, the way she had that look, ‘Are you ok? Anything I can do for you? What do you need?’.”
“I talk about my mother and father, [they] thought that everyone, no matter who they were, no matter what their station, no matter where they’re from, deserved to be treated with dignity,” he continued. “And that’s exactly what she [Her Majesty] communicated, just the way she walked by her staff, just the way she acted. And I think what she gave is a sense of, maybe above all, the notion of service.”
"Our hearts go out you and you were fortunate to have had her for 70 years."
President of the United States Joe Biden paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, as he signed the Queen’s book of condolence at Lancaster House in London.
— The Royal Family Channel (@RoyalFamilyITNP) September 18, 2022
“We all owe something, there’s something in our capacity to do, that can make things, not just the world, but your neighborhood better, your household better, your workplace better,” he added. “And that’s what she communicated to me anyway and it was an honor to meet her.”
In addition to their visit at Westminster Hall and the Lancaster House, Joe and Jill are expected to join King Charles III and other world leaders and working royals at a reception at Buckingham Palace on Sunday night. It’s the same reception that the Queen’s grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan Markle, were not invited to due to the fact that they’re no longer working royals. The Queen will then be laid to rest after her state funeral on Monday.
