Biden goes to mass, has tea with the queen, flies to Brussels
President Biden wrapped up a bonhomous Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, and had tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on Sunday, but like many Catholics, he began the day at mass.
"I think gobsmacked is probably a very true word," Annie Fitzpatrick, 58, told The Associated Press after Sunday mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in St. Ives. "About 10 minutes into the service the doors opened up and President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden walked in and just sat in the pew just across from me." Biden "quietly got on with his prayer like everyone was doing," she added, and then he "looked around and said peace be with you, and I was one of them so I'm delighted. I'm not sure I will ever get over this moment completely."
After the G7 summit concluded, the Bidens took Air Force One to Heathrow, then boarded Marine One for a short helicopter ride to Windsor Castle. Biden inspected the Guard of Honor, stood next to the queen and the first lady while a band played the U.S. and British national anthems, then went inside for tea. The Bidens spent about 40 minutes inside the castle, and their hourlong visit ran about 10 minutes over schedule, Politico reports. There were no visible breaches of protocol.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Biden was effusive afterward. "I don't think she'd be insulted, but she reminded me of my mother, the look of her and just the generosity," Biden, 78, said of the queen, who turned 95 on Saturday. "She's extremely gracious. That's not surprising, but we had a great talk." He said the queen asked about China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, and he invited her to the White House. A royal historian told CNN the queen is unlikely to leave Britain again.
The Bidens then flew to London, where the first lady returned to the U.S. while the president traveled on to a NATO summit in Brussels.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom ban
Speed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
What does the G20 summit say about the new global order?
Today's Big Question Donald Trump's election ushers in era of 'transactional' geopolitics that threatens to undermine international consensus
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published