North Korea has been invited to the late Queen’s funeral, government officials have confirmed.
Pyongyang’s ambassador will receive an invitation, as will the envoys of Iran and Nicaragua, The Telegraph understands.
Every country the United Kingdom has diplomatic relations with has been invited to the state funeral, with the exceptions of Russia, Belarus and Myanmar.
Britain and North Korea established diplomatic relations in 2000 after 60 years without embassies.
Ambassadorial level invitations, issued instead of to a head of state, can reflect diplomatic tensions.
Both Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programmes have been a source of tension with the UK and the wider west.
Even had the invitation been extended to Kim Jong-un, the reclusive leader of the hermit kingdom rarely travels.
No invitation has been extended to Afghanistan after the Taliban took the country over last year.
Russia has not been invited because of Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, while Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup.
Venezuela and Syria have not been invited because Britain does not have full diplomatic relations with those countries.
Warm welcome for Commonwealth Realms
There will be a warm welcome to the funeral for the 14 Commonwealth Realms, which are countries which had Queen Elizabeth as their head of state.
Each was invited to send their prime minister plus one, governor general plus one, and High Commissioners, as well as 10 citizens of their countries who are not dignitaries.
The Realms include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Antigua and Barbuda,The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
Commonwealth Realm leaders will be invited to attend the late Queen’s lying in state on Saturday, with other leaders attending on Sunday.
About 500 foreign dignitaries are expected to attend Monday’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, making it the largest state gathering the UK has hosted in decades.
All holders of Victoria and George crosses are also invited.
