First Lady Jill Biden was most elegantly dressed in a blue ensemble as she arrived at Westminster Abbey today to represent her husband, President Joe, at the coronation of King Charles – alongside her 24-year-old daughter and civil servant plus one, Finnegan.
The 71-year-old donned a royal blue skirt suit for the historic occasion, accessorizing the look with a pair of matching gloves, nude heels and clutch, and a blue bow in her hair.
Meanwhile, her granddaughter — who is the daughter of President Biden’s scandal-plagued son Hunter — opted for a pale yellow cape dress, paired with a matching floral headband, silk heels and a small handbag.
The two women are representing the president at the coronation after Jill’s husband Joe declined his invitation from Charles, telling MSNBC last night that he couldn’t attend because he “has a lot to do.”
First Lady Jill Biden and her granddaughter Finnegan, 24, put on an elegant show in matching pastel shades as they arrived at King Charles’ coronation on Saturday
Jill, 71, and UPenn graduate Finnegan represent the president at the historic event — after he declined his invitation to attend and told MSNBC he has “a lot going on”
The pair were flanked by several Secret Service agents as they entered the abbey
No US president has ever attended a British coronation — and Jill and Finnegan are reportedly the first close relatives of a sitting president to attend the event.
Finnegan and Jill were escorted to Westminster Abbey, where they took their seats a few rows behind the representatives of Serbia, Slovakia and Macedonia.
The First Lady and her grandchild – to whom she is known to be very close – were wrong Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, with whom they chatted last night at a lavish reception at Buckingham Palace.
Jill and Finnegan have attended several events since arriving in the UK – with the East Wing confirming on Thursday that the First Lady would be accompanied by her granddaughter in the absence of her husband, who opted out of the coronation.
During an interview on MSNBC last night, the president said of his absence from the coronation, “I told (King Charles) I couldn’t be there because I have this going on.”
He added that he had told the king he would be in the UK for the NATO conference in the summer, saying: “He is a good acquaintance and we have worked together on environmental issues.”
Biden’s likely opponent in 2024, ex-President Donald Trump, previously expressed disgust that the president did not make the trip across the puddle.
“Sure, he should be here as our representative of our country. I was very surprised, I think it’s very disrespectful for him not to be here,” the former Apprentice host said. GB News.
Finnegan and Jill were escorted to Westminster Abbey, where they took their seats several rows behind the representatives of Serbia, Slovakia and Macedonia.
The First Lady and her grandchild – to whom she is very close – sat next to Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska
Jill looked very elegant in a royal blue dress suit, while her granddaughter wore a complementary pastel shade of yellow
Both women accessorized their outfits with delicate fascinators, with Jill opting for a blue bow, while Finnegan opted for a floral yellow design
Trump then accused Biden of not being physically well enough to make the trip to the UK. “He has a lot of things to do, a lot of strange things have happened,” the twice-deposed president added.
Jill was last in the UK for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September, which she attended with President Joe Biden.
Yesterday, however, First Lady Jill Biden’s first stop was a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty.
Here they met veterans and attended a local school before meeting US Embassy staff in Vauxhall.
Ms Biden later met King Charles, her 13th cousin once removed, at a reception at Buckingham Palace.
The reception was organized as an opportunity for the king to greet his guests, as there will be no formal event today outside of the coronation itself.
President Biden has drawn some criticism, particularly from his predecessor and potential 2024 election rival Donald Trump, for skipping Charles’s coronation.
On the last such event, when Charles’ late mother Elizabeth was crowned in 1953, then-US President Dwight Eisenhower sent a delegation of envoys to represent him.
The White House said last month that President Biden had told Charles he wanted to meet the king in Britain at a later date. President Biden visited Belfast and Ireland last month to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
It’s because new research has revealed how Ms. Biden and King Charles are distant cousins. The monarch and Mrs. Biden are both descended from the 16th-century noble couple Philippe III de Croÿ and his wife Johanna. They are 13th cousins once removed.
Philippe III, who died in 1595, served as a knight under the Spanish King Philip II, the husband of Queen Mary who sent the Spanish Armada to invade England in 1588.
The research from genealogy website MyHeritage has also revealed that the king is a 12th cousin of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who will also be at the coronation.
The King and Mrs Biden are both the 13th generation descended from De Croÿ. The “once removed” element of their connection refers to the number of generations that separate them.
Jill Biden, wife of US President Joe Biden, welcomed to No. 10 Downing Street Akshata Murty, wife of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Akshata Murthy greets Finnegan Biden, Jill Biden’s granddaughter, outside 10 Downing Street
A cousin once removed would refer to a cousin who is of your parent’s generation.
De Croÿ, who was also stadtholder – or steward – of Flanders in Belgium, had daughters Anne and Marguerite with his wife.
Charles is directly descended from Anne, while Mrs. Biden is descended from Marguerite.
Charles will be crowned in a Christian ceremony that stretches back 1,000 years on a day dripping with glorious pageantry. It will also highlight Britain’s place on the world stage.
And on the streets of London today, even in a packed shopping centre, there is tremendous excitement among tens of thousands who have camped out for days to watch the extraordinary event happen. More than 100 million people watch on TV around the world.
Nearly two million people – from all corners of the UK, the Commonwealth and the world – are pouring into central London despite rain being forecast. The trains to the capital were overcrowded this morning, with soldiers taking part in the ceremony pouring into the main stations.
The king’s guests arrived at the abbey from 7 a.m. – four hours before the ceremony. About 100 heads of state are in London, with representatives from 203 countries.
The Princess of Wales speaks with the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden
The longest-serving heir to the throne in British history will be crowned today at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony steeped in the majesty of his illustrious ancestors, but also embracing and highlighting the proud diversity of contemporary Britain.
“There will be all the pomp and circumstance you can dream of, but as little of ‘them and us’ as possible,” a senior royal aide said last night.
Crowned alongside the king, 74, will be his wife of 18 years – and his love for much, much longer.
The once unthinkable has become a reality and from today the former Camilla Parker Bowles will be known as Queen Camilla as she has been anointed and has Queen Mary’s crown on her head.
Yesterday, the 75-year-old queen consort made only a brief public appearance as she attended a final rehearsal at the abbey with her husband in the morning. She chose not to attend any of the other public engagements at his side, preferring to “set her pace” and also make sure “the day was about her husband,” sources said.
“She loves him unconditionally and always wants him to shine,” said a friend.
Last night, the pair retreated to enjoy a private dinner at their London home, Clarence House.
“The calm before the storm – perhaps both figuratively and literally,” said a friend, with a nod to the gloomy weather forecast, something the new King and Queen celebrations have in common with the late Queen’s coronation in 1953.