King Simeon II will attend the mourning ceremony for the funeral of the British Queen Elizabeth II on September 19. This was confirmed within “24 hours” by his secretariat.
The ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, where all British monarchs have been crowned. Elizabeth II will be buried in the memorial chapel of her father, King George VI, in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
King Simeon is a relative of the late British Queen through the line of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty and happens to be her uncle.
His admiration for the wisdom of Queen Elizabeth II was expressed by the king some time ago, when presenting his autobiographical book “Simeon II. An extraordinary destiny” in English at the Chalke Valley History Festival, near London.
“It’s not ethical or protocol to talk about a colleague, with all due respect. But I have such endless admiration, not only for the 70s, but for her wisdom, for Her Majesty’s absolute professional composure. There is no superlative that I can find to say how I feel about this blessed person you have as a queen,” the king told those gathered at the festival, quoted by the authoritative Daily Mail newspaper. The article recounts the king’s words about how Queen Elizabeth II helped him decide when to return to Bulgaria. He said she invited him to lunch in 1993 and advised him to wait a while, the publication said.
The History Festival of the Chalke Valley is the largest history festival in the world, which lasts several days and attracts famous historians and politicians. It has been in existence since 2011. That year it was opened by Her Highness Camilla Parker-Bowles, then still the Duchess of Cornwall.
The festival included over 400 events, talks and discussions. And the funds raised go to the Chalke Valley History Trust, which promotes an understanding of history among all ages and especially among children.
