Indian president Droupadi Murmu meets King Charles III ahead of queen's funeral

Ahead of Queen Elizabeth's state funeral, Indian president Droupadi Murmu met King Charles III at a reception held at Buckingham Palace on Sunday (18).

President Murmu also signed the condolence book for Queen Elizabeth II, at the Lancaster House near Buckingham Palace in London.

"President Droupadi Murmu signed the Condolence Book in the memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Lancaster House, London," Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

Besides, the president also offered tributes to Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall in London where the queen's coffin is lying-in-State.

The President is on an official tour to the United Kingdom from September 17 to 19 to attend the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday and offer condolences on behalf of the Government of India.

She arrived at Gatwick Airport in London to attend Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral at London's Westminster Abbey on Saturday.

The presidential aircraft carrying Murmu and her entourage members, including foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra landed at London's Gatwick Airport at 20:50 IST from where she left for the hotel where she will be staying during this tour.

On her arrival at the airport, the president was received by the high commissioner of India to the UK.

She will attend the state funeral service at West Gate of Westminster Abbey. And in the afternoon, she will attend the reception hosted by James Cleverly, UK's secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development Affairs.

Queen Elizabeth II, 96, the former head of state of the UK and head of the Commonwealth of Nations passed away on September 8. She will be laid to rest with full state honours at Westminster Abbey on Monday (19).

One-day state mourning was observed across India on September 11 as a mark of respect to UK's Queen Elizabeth II who passed away on September 8.