Boris Johnson was booed by the crowd outside St Paul’s Cathedral as he arrived for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee service.
Members of the public could be heard booing, jeering and whistling as the prime minister walked up the steps with his wife Carrie on Friday morning.
Many of the senior political figures – included former Tory prime minister David Cameron and Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan – were cheered by the crowd behind the barricades.
But BBC presenter Jane Hill noted that there was “really quite a lot of booing, actually – a substantial amount” received by Mr Johnson as he entered the cathedral.
The arrival of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and cabinet ministers such as Priti Patel and Liz Truss went unmarked by the crowd outside St Paul’s. The loudest cheers appeared to be for Harry and Meghan.
Tributes will be paid to the Queen’s 70 years of “dedicated service” as 2,000 people including Mr Johnson, senior ministers, opposition leaders, and first ministers of devolved governments fill the historic church.
Prince Charles is set to represent his mother after the 96-year-old monarch pulled out of the high-profile occasion at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
She suffered “discomfort” following a busy first day of festivities including a double balcony appearance and a beacon lighting. She will be watching the ceremony on television as she rests at Windsor Castle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were back in full public view alongside the Windsors for the first time since they quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago.
Public service is the theme at the heart of the religious event, with 400 people who are recipients of honours, including NHS and key workers who were recognised for their work during the pandemic, invited.
The Archbishop of York will deliver the sermon and has described the prospect as a “slightly terrifying gig”. The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell had to step in at the 11th hour after the Archbishop of Canterbury contracted Covid.
Hundreds of people gathered, some wearing Union flag hats and others hanging flags and bunting over the railings on the approach to the cathedral.
Thousands turned out on The Mall on Thursday to cheer the jubilee head of state for the start of her bank holiday weekend of commemorations.
