Jill Biden may attend next month’s coronation of Charles III alone, as President Biden is not yet scheduled to attend.
Biden is “not expected” to join dozens of heads of state at the May 6 event. A source told The Telegraph while promoting his “strong” relationship with the monarch.
The 80-year-old commander-in-chief is likely to send a delegation in his place, which could include his wife as he has other duties, the outlet reported.
An anonymous White House official told Time magazine last month that the king’s coronation “doesn’t look like an event that Joe Biden will attend.”
Buckingham Palace has already sent emails to coronation guests, with some asking for attendance by Monday.
Heads of state from Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Hungary and Monaco will attend, along with three EU presidents (Ursula von der Leyen, Roberta Mezzola and Charles Michel).
Scotland’s newly elected Prime Minister Humza Yousaf said he would attend, although he is not a fan of the monarchy.
British Ambassador to the United States Karen Pierce and her Buckingham Palace aide held “heartfelt diplomatic” talks with the White House about the coronation, and Biden, who attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the mother of Prince Charles, There are other appointments scheduled at the time the coronation takes place.
Biden could meet King Charles in Northern Ireland during a day and a half visit on April 11.
But Bob Seeley, a Conservative MP on the Foreign Affairs Task Force, said the White House made a “silly decision” and urged Biden to reconsider.
“It seems pretty neglectful. I’m tempted to say he cheated more that he didn’t come,” he told The Telegraph. I thought you should.
“If I were President of the United States, I would attend the coronation of the King of England. There are no two ways to do that. It seems like a stupid decision.”
