Japan emperor, empress head to UK for funeral

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako left for Britain on Saturday to attend Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral to pay respects to her and the British royal family who considered as a model for Japans monarchy in modern history.

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako left for Britain on Saturday to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral to pay respects to her and the British royal family who are considered a model for Japan's monarchy in modern history. The decision for the emperor and empress to attend the queen's funeral underscores the importance and the deep bond between the royal families. Traditionally, a Japanese emperor stays away from funerals except for those of their own parents because of a cultural belief based in the Shinto religion that considers death impure.

Former Emperor Akihito, as crown prince, attended the Queen's 1953 coronation and her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Queen Elizabeth visited Japan in 1975. Naruhito and Masako's trip to Britain is their first as the Emperor and Empress. The Queen's invitation for them to visit following Naruhito's 2019 ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne had to be postponed due to the pandemic. ___ London: The line organized by British authorities for people to view Queen Elizabeth II's coffin as she lies in the state has reopened after being closed for more than seven hours due to a surge in numbers.

But officials said Friday afternoon that people may have to stand in line for more than 24 hours before reaching Westminster Hall.

And they say that it will be cold during the night.

The line was about 5 miles (8 kilometers) long, snaking along the banks of the River Thames.

Authorities laid on more than 500 portable toilets, while around 1,000 stewards and marshals were on duty at any given time.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects before Monday's state funeral.

___ Istanbul: Planeloads of Turkish carnations are headed to the United Kingdom for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral next Monday.

Flower producers in southern Turkey are working to meet the high demand for the event in London. Turkish Cargo said Friday that after the queen's death last week orders for flowers shot up by 90%. Suppliers chose air transport over trucks to cope with demand and deliver on time.

The cargo company said more than 500,000 flower stems, weighing around 13 metric tons, are being sent to London.

Turkey is a major exporter of cut flowers, principally carnations, to Europe. ___ Cardiff: King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have encountered the Royal Welsh goat.

As they left Cardiff Castle on a visit to Wales on Friday, the royal couple passed by the official mascot of the Third Battalion of The Royal Welsh. The goat is known as Lance Corporal Shenkin IV. The furry white goat, which has metal tips on its horns, has its own Twitter account and Facebook page.

King Charles appeared to share a joke about the military mascot with his wife.

___ London: Soccer great David Beckham has joined the miles-long queue of people waiting to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state.

People spotted the former England captain in the line of mourners near Britain's Houses of Parliament at lunchtime on Friday. He is believed to have joined the queue at 2 a.m. and to have lined up for more than 10 hours with thousands of others.

Officials temporarily halted people joining the back of the line on Friday after a park at the farthest end became full. People who arrived were directed to holding areas and slowly allowed to join the queue.

The queen is due to lie in state at Westminster Hall in Parliament until Monday morning when her funeral will be held at nearby Westminster Abbey.

___ London: London police say Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday will be the largest single policing event the force has ever handled.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said Friday that the massive police operation surpasses even the 2012 Olympics, which were held in the British capital, and the celebrations earlier this year of the queen's 70 years on the throne.

“As a single event this is larger than the 2012 Olympics, it is larger than the Platinum Jubilee weekend,” he said.

“The range of officers, police staff and all those supporting the operation is truly immense,” he added.

Royalty and heads of state from around the world are expected to be among the 2,000 people attending the funeral service.

___ London: British Prime Minister Liz Truss will hold one-on-one meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and several other world leaders who are flying to London for the queen's funeral.

The prime minister's office says Truss and Biden are due to meet Sunday at the prime minister's 10 Downing St. office. They previously met when Truss was British foreign secretary.

Truss has been prime minister for just 10 days, and the start of her term has been upended by the queen's death last week, which has put everyday politics on hold.

The funeral on Monday will provide her first chance to meet with other leaders. Truss is also meeting Sunday at Downing St. with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Polish President Andrzej Duda.

On Saturday, she is due to meet the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand, Anthony Albanese and Jacinda Ardern, at the government's Chevening country residence outside London.

___ Vatican City: The Vatican says the Holy See's foreign minister will represent Pope Francis at the funeral in London on Monday of Queen Elizabeth II. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a brief written statement Friday that Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, who is secretary for relations with states and international organizations, would attend the funeral at Westminster Abbey. Gallagher, a career diplomat, is a native of Liverpool in northwest England.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)