LONDON: Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the state funeral for British Queen Elizabeth II, which was held at Westminster Abbey in London from 11 a.m. Monday.

It was the second time for a Japanese emperor to join the funeral for a foreign head of state or royal family member. In the first case, Emperor Emeritus Akihito, father of the current Emperor, attended the state funeral for Belgian King Baudouin in 1993, when he was on the throne, with his wife, Empress Emerita Michiko.

Emperor Naruhito, wearing a morning dress, and Empress Masako, clad in a black dress, left their hotel in central London shortly after 9:45 a.m.

The Emperor and the Empress got into a car while waving to people who gathered around them. They changed to a bus prepared by the British side at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and headed for Westminster Abbey with others attending the state funeral for the Queen, who passed away on Sept. 8.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako looked somber as they attended the funeral. All funeral participants offered silent prayers for the Queen.

On Sunday evening, Emperor Naruhito joined a reception hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in London.

The reception was held for more than an hour from shortly after 6 p.m., an aide accompanying the Emperor said, adding that the event was held in a cordial atmosphere although there was grief over the passing of the Queen.

Emperor Naruhito conveyed condolences from himself, Empress Masako, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko to the King and his wife.

The Emperor also met with Princess Anne, the eldest daughter of the late Queen, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife, Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Around 8:40 p.m., Emperor Naruhito visited Westminster Hall, where the Queen’s coffin was placed, and said goodbye to her.

“I bid farewell to Her Majesty calmly to express my gratitude for the warmth she gave me,” the Emperor was quoted as saying.

Empress Masako stayed at the hotel on Sunday to get in shape to attend the Queen’s state funeral.

JIJI Press