Queen Elizabeth’s funeral: Manhyia explains Otumfuo’s absence

Manhyia Palace in the Ashanti Region has said the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II could not honour the invitation of the Buckingham Palace to attend the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II in England because the King has other equally important engagements.

The funeral and burial of the late Queen of England is being held today, Monday, 19 September 2022.

Present are world leaders, kings and queens and diplomats from all across the world.

She had been lying-in-state at Westminster Hall in the heart of London for days where people queued for hours to view her coffin.

The Manhyia Palace in response to why the Asantehene was unable to attend the burial although there was an official invite said the invite came at the time the King was out on official duty.

The historian at Manhyia Palace, Osei Bonsu Safo Katanka, speaking in an interview monitored by African Editors on Monday, September 19, 2022 explained that the invitation letter failed to make preparations for a representative to represent the Asante King at the funeral, hence, no representative was sent either to represent the King.

He said despite Asanteman’s absence at the funeral, the Asante Kingdom has had a good relationship with the British monarch over the years.

He said in 1961 when the Queen visited Ghana, an Asante King hosted her in Kumasi.

“It is the reason the queen referred to the Asante Kingdom as the gold city of West Africa and Asante as the gold city of Gold Coast,” he said.

“She named Kumasi the Garden City of West Africa,” he added.