Freetown, 22nd September, 2022 (SLENA) – The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, (closely accompanied by senior diplomatic staff of the Sierra Leone High Commission in London),attended the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio was in the distinguished company of world leaders and other specially invited guests who attended the highly organised and closely guided ceremonial services marking the solemn occasion.
On her arrival at the London Heathrow International airport yesterday, 18th September 2022, the First Lady was received by members of the British Special Operations Close Protection Officers, and by the Royalty and Specialist Protection (RaSP) Unit of the Metropolitan Police.
In the sprawling space of the distinctive Windsor Suites of the Royal Family Lounge at Heathrow, Mrs. Fatima Bio was greeted by the Special Representative of the Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Robert W Gibson CMG and the Sierra Leone High Commissioner in London, H.E Dr. Morie K. Manyeh.
After paying her respects to the body of HRM Queen Elizabeth II, as she lay in state in the Palace of Westminster, Mrs Bio, accompanied by senior members of the UK High Commission staff, then went on to the Lancaster House where she was greeted by Minister Connor Borns, Department for International Trade, and Minister Jesse Norman, Department for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
The First Lady, during the signing ceremony in the Royal Lancaster House, took the opportunity, to pay befitting tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II whom she deservingly described as “a global role model” and praised her for her exemplary contributions in helping to advance the general cause for Gender Equality.
After days of the observance of a solemn ceremony, which entailed the public enactment of a well-established routine, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history and one of the most recognisable faces on earth, will be laid to rest in a private service this evening, at the Windsor castle.
