Given the sheer number of world leaders attending the Queen's funeral, it was clear that not all of them could expect to arrive and leave the service at Westminster Abbey in their own cars.
A member of the Lord Chamberlain's Office explained: “It would have taken hours in either direction.”
Furthermore, a queue of hundreds of cars and Outriders would hardly reflect the King's oft-quoted views on sustainability and climate change. So the leaders all took the bus.
“Most people were happy with it, especially since European monarchs do this kind of thing all the time,” said a senior Foreign Office official.
“However, some, including French President Macron’s team, didn’t like it at all.”
French President Macron together with his wife Brigitte Macron at the Queen's funeral on September 19, 2022
Heads of state arrive on buses to meet King Charles ahead of the Queen's funeral
French officials were particularly upset 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 this would affect their home base, that people would mock them.”
French officials were particularly upset that an exception was made for U.S. President Joe Biden, whose security team would not tolerate him traveling in anything other than his bomb-proof limousine.
Foreign Office officials have learned an important lesson from the Queen's funeral. “Macron was angry, but some of the Gulf leaders were really angry,” says a diplomatic source, “so we gave up.” [the buses] for the coronation.'
It might not be environmentally friendly, but there was no avoiding a cavalcade of limousines filling the streets around Westminster Abbey at daybreak.
© Robert Hardman, 2024
- Adapted from Charles III New King. New dish. The Inside Story by Robert Hardman, published by Macmillan on January 18th at £22. To order a copy for £17.60 (offer valid until 29/02/2024; free UK delivery on orders over £25), go to the mailshop. co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.