Queen and Royal Family head to G7 summit in Cornwall
The Queen and the most senior members of the Royal Family are being dispatched to the G7 summit in Cornwall on Friday.
They are attending the main evening reception at the Eden Project as the government attempts to maximise the Royals’ powers of soft diplomacy on US President Joe Biden and the other leaders of the world’s biggest economies.
The Queen will be joined by Prince Charles and Camilla as well as her grandson and his wife, Prince William and Kate.
The Duchess of Cambridge will attend a joint event with the First Lady, Jill Biden, on an issue very close to both of their hearts.
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The Prince of Wales is using his convening powers to bring a delegation of CEOs from some of the world’s largest companies to work with the G7 leaders on tackling the climate emergency and environmental sustainability. Prince William will support his father at the event.
The Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge will also host a Big Lunch event at the Eden Project.
The Big Lunch is a project that will form part of the Queen’s official Platinum Jubilee celebrations next year. It brings together communities at events involving food and drink.
With so many leaders gathering in Cornwall for the three-day political summit, the government is attempting to use the occasion to project an image of a “Global Britain” to the rest of the world – and the Royal Family is central to that ambition.
Joe Biden will be the 13th US President that the Queen has met during her reign.
Since 1952, she has seen every single occupant of the White House apart from Lyndon B. Johnson.
On Sunday, Joe Biden and the First Lady will be welcomed to Windsor Castle as the Queen hosts the couple for a Guard of Honour and tea.
It is a busy weekend for the 95-year old Monarch who also celebrates her official birthday on Saturday with a scaled-back Trooping the Colour event at Windsor.
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