Anthony Albanese is en route to London for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is en route to the United Kingdom to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.
Mr Albanese and his partner, Jodie Haydon, have boarded the Royal Australian Air Force flight with Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, who is one of the "everyday" Australians selected to attend.
Governor-General David Hurley and his wife Linda will also be travelling to the funeral.
Australian horse trainer Gai Waterhouse and her bookmaker husband Robbie are also on the plane with the prime minister.
Ms and Mr Waterhouse, who have been invited by the palace, are flying with the prime minister after they alerted Mr Albanese's office on Wednesday that they could not book a commercial flight because of heavy demand.
Australia is also helping officials from Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Samoa and a fifth unnamed Commonwealth nation in the Oceania region travel to London for the funeral.
The officials will be travelling on a separate flight.
Mr Albanese will join New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Joe Biden and a host of other world leaders and international royalty, including Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, for the funeral.
However, representatives from Russia, Belarus and Myanmar have reportedly not been invited to attend the funeral.
It's set to be one of the biggest security and logistical operations the UK has ever staged.
Mr Albanese and fellow leaders will attend a formal reception on Sunday night to meet King Charles III.
Mr Albanese will also have a one-on-one meeting with the King.
The Prime Minister is also set to meet with United Kingdom Prime Minister Liz Truss, as well as Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Horse trainer Chris Waller, who was one of the 10 Australians selected by the government to attend the funeral, will not make it "due to COVID-19 related circumstances".
"Like so many others, I will live with and cherish for the rest of my life the fond memories I have of Her Majesty." he said.
AP/ Reuters
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