Breaking the protocol, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II will attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at St Paul’s Cathedral next week.
The monarch’s decision to attend the ceremony is a break with procedure, although dignitaries from around the world are expected to attend, as protocol states that royals do not attend the funerals of politicians.
The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, will attend the service, Buckingham Palace said.
This was one reason why Queen Victoria did not go to the funeral of former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli despite the two being friends.
Queen Elizabeth II last broke with tradition to attend Winston Churchill’s state funeral in 1965.
Earlier today, the Prime Minister David Cameron’s Downing Street office, in a statement, said that “the funeral service of Lady Thatcher will take place on Wednesday April 17 at St Paul’s Cathedral.”
Thatcher, who was known as the ‘Iron Lady’, yesterday died of a stroke at the age of 87.