Portugal has declared three days of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth II on September 18, 19, and 20. The Portuguese Council of Ministers established the decree on Thursday to pay homage to the death of the Queen.
The Council of Ministers has said that “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland profoundly marked the second half of the 20th century and the first quarter of the 21st century”.
One of the days of mourning in Portugal coincides with the state funeral of the British monarch on September 19. The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will represent Portugal at the funeral.
É com tristeza que recebemos a notÃcia do falecimento de Sua Majestade a Rainha Isabel II. O seu reinado de 70 anos marcou a história britânica desde a segunda grande guerra. As minhas sentidas condolências à famÃlia real e ao povo do Reino Unido.
— António Costa (@antoniocostapm) September 8, 2022
The funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey and will be one of the largest ceremonial events in Britain since World War II. US President Joe Biden will also be in attendance.
After the funeral, a private burial service will be held for close family and friends.
The longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died last Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at 96 years old. She became Queen of England in 1952 at 25 years old, after her father’s death.
Her 73-year-old son King Charles III is now the official monarch. His coronation is expected in 2023, although the exact date is still a secret under the name Operation Golden Orb.