Celebrities at Queen Elizabeth's Funeral
Why Sandra Oh Was Among the Famous Faces at the Queen's Funeral
Image Source: Getty / Max Mumby / Indigo / Mark Von Holden / NBC
Thousands gathered in the streets of London to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral on 19 Sept. Among the mournful crowd were a few famous faces, including none other than "Killing Eve" star Sandra Oh. Surrounded by royal family members and world leaders, Oh's appearance at the funeral caught the internet off guard, but the actor had good reason to secure an invitation to the queen's funeral.
"The Order of Canada celebrates the lives, endeavours and successes of people from coast to coast to coast and from all walks of life."
In June, the Governor General of Canada appointed Oh — a dual citizen of Canada and the US — an officer of the Order of Canada, the second-highest civilian honour within the Canadian system of honours. Oh received the title "for her artistic career filled with memorable stage, television and film roles in Canada and abroad," according to Governor General Mary Simon's official announcement. As an inductee, Oh joins more than 7,600 people across Canada in the Order.
Queen Elizabeth II created the Order of Canada in 1967 "to honour people whose service shapes our society, whose innovations ignite our imaginations, and whose compassion unites our communities." According to the General Governor, "the Order of Canada celebrates the lives, endeavours and successes of people from coast to coast to coast and from all walks of life." She continues, "Those being appointed today come from a variety of sectors, have achieved national and international success, and have shown ingenuity, innovation and generosity. What's more, they have made a difference in their communities and for Canada with their outstanding dedication and commitment. Congratulations to the new Order of Canada appointees, as well as those celebrating a promotion within the Order."
"Running Wild" host Bear Grylls also made an appearance at the queen's funeral after being appointed the youngest Chief Scout of the UK and Overseas Territories at age 35 in 2009 and starting his second term in the role in 2015. Additional celebrities in attendance included President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, former British Prime Minsters Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.
Other attendees included President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford, Queen Letizia of Spain, King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Rania of Jordan and King Abdullah II of Jordan, Emperor of Japan Naruhito and Empress Masako, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon, and President of Israel Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal Herzog.
President of Italy Sergio Mattarella, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and his wife Michelle Bolsonaro, Queen Margrethe II and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Princess Beatrix and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece were also in attendance.
