President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos are attending the coronation of Their Majesties, King Charles III and Queen Camilla, at Westminster Abbey. This was confirmed in a press briefing given by Philippine Ambassador to the UK, Teodoro Locsin Jr, at the Philippine Embassy in London on 4 May.
They will also be attending a reception in honour of the King at Buckingham Palace ahead of the coronation. They are arriving in London following their official visit to Washington, DC where Marcos Jr met US President Joe Biden.
Ambassador Locsin Jr said, “The President’s attendance at this momentous occasion signals a deep friendship that the Philippines and the United Kingdom have been enjoying through the years without a single interruption. The President brings with him to the UK the warm wishes of the Filipino people on Their Majesties’ coronation. I have no doubt that the President will undertake another visit to the United Kingdom at an opportune time. He left part of his heart here.”
Marcos Jr will join some 100 heads of state to attend the coronation, led by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. US President Joe Biden is unable to attend the event but he will be represented by the first lady, Jill Biden.
The President’s attendance at this momentous occasion signals a deep friendship that the Philippines and the United Kingdom have been enjoying through the years without a single interruption. The President brings with him to the UK the warm wishes of the Filipino people on Their Majesties’ coronation.
Ambassador Teodoro Locsin Jr
According to Ambassador Locsin Jr, President Marcos will fly to Indonesia for the 42nd Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit shortly after the coronation.
Over 2,000 guests have been invited to the event, including members of the Royal family, foreign royals, British politicians, celebrities and more than 850 charity and community representatives.
This is the first time that a siting Philippine president has been invited to attend the coronation of a British monarch. The late President Elpidio Quirino was not invited to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation on 2 June 1953.
