Did Biden turn down King Charles’ coronation invitation?

• No sitting US President has ever attended the coronation of a British monarch. While President Joe Biden is unlikely to attend the coronation of King Charles, he is sticking to precedent by likely sending a delegation in his stead.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower did not attend Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 and instead sent a delegation.

According to reports, US President Joe Biden will do so not According to news reports, attend the coronation of Britain’s monarch King Charles in May 2023. This news came with speculation that Biden was snubbing the royal family in an “extraordinary diplomatic insult.”

Dan Wootton, a columnist for the Daily Mail tabloid, wrote: “Joe Biden apologists can make all the excuses they want, but snubbing King Charles’ coronation shows he hates Britain, as does his friends Harry and Meghan .”

While Biden is unlikely to attend the coronation, that may not be an insult in the way the tweets above portray it. News of his absence was confirmed by officials who spoke to the man on condition of anonymity Washington Post. He will reportedly send a delegation in his place, much like the last president invited to a coronation: Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth.

In other words, Biden is understood to be holding on to precedent. Eisenhower also did not attend the 1953 coronation, instead sending special envoys George C. Marshall, Omar N. Bradley, Earl Warren, and Fleur F. Cowles.

And that tradition goes back further: not a single sitting US President has reportedly attended the coronation of a British monarch Washington Post.

Conservative British commentators have dubbed this “snub” to the monarchy, and the timing is perceived as unfavorable. In April 2023, Biden will visit Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, as well as Ireland and is not expected to meet with Charles during that trip. However, insiders said The Telegraph that Biden’s age was a major barrier to his participation, adding that traveling abroad was difficult for him.

“They try to keep it to the bare essentials, and they might think twice about crossing the Atlantic twice in quick succession. You might think he came to the funeral [of Queen Elizabeth]and that’s kind of enough,” a source close to the administration said called.

It is reported that First Lady Jill Biden will be part of the US delegation to the coronation. Biden attended Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in London in September 2021.

The White House has not yet officially announced Plans for Biden’s Ireland trip, nor has he officially confirmed the delegation for the coronation. We’ll update this post when we hear more.

While Biden may not attend Charles’ coronation, that doesn’t mean it’s a rejection or a snub. Biden appears to be following US precedent.