The six countries not invited to Queen Elizabeth II's funeral- and why
Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral: Leaders and officials from Russia will be absent during the Queen's funeral.
Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral on Monday is set to be attended by world leaders, politicians, public figures and European royals, in addition to more than 500 dignitaries from around the world. Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 in Scotland at the age of 96.
Read more: The definitive guestlist for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral
Not all world leaders are on the guest list to come to London to pay their respects to Britain's longest serving monarch though. Here's why:
The countries not invited
Leaders and officials from Russia will be absent during the Queen's funeral. Although Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated King Charles III's ascension to the throne, relations between the UK and Russia have collapsed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Read more: Man on roller skates almost collides with Charles III's car. Then this happens
Belarus has also not been invited to the state funeral. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is considered a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Myanmar has also not be invited, following a coup in the country last year.
Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan have also not been invited.
The countries invited on ambassadorial level
North Korea and Nicaragua have been invited "only at ambassadorial level.
Read more: Have all other funerals been cancelled in UK? Concerns as Queen is laid to rest
Controversy over China's presence
China's Vice President Wang Qishan will also attend the funeral. Two MPs and two members of the House of Lords have said that they were "greatly concerned" that representatives of China's government had been invited. The invitation is "extraordinary" as UK parliament voted to recognize the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China as a genocide, the leaders said.
ABOUT THE AUTHORMallika SoniWhen not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?"

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