Biden expected to skip Charles III coronation
(The Hill) – President Biden is expected to skip the coronation of King Charles III next month, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Instead, the source said first lady Jill Biden will lead a delegation to the United Kingdom for the coronation, set to take place on May 6.
The White House did not answer a request for comment.
The Washington Post was the first to report the news of the Bidens’ plans.
In the past, presidents have not attended a coronation for a British monarch. During the last coronation for Queen Elizabeth II, President Eisenhower also chose to send a delegation and did not attend the affair.
Biden attended Elizabeth’s funeral in September, joining other leaders from around the world.
The Post noted that some are offended by Biden’s absence.
“It seems pretty remiss, and I’m tempted to say more fool him for not coming,” Bob Seely, a Conservative member of the British Parliament said in an interview with the Telegraph. “This is a once in a lifetime event, and you would have thought he should come because he’s a head of state.”