Chinese deputy and numerous royals: King Charles’ coronation controversial guests | World News

Around 2,200 people will be in attendance when King Charles is to be crowned alongside his wife Camilla on May 6. That includes members of the royal family, world leaders and foreign royals who will gather at Westminster Abbey for the historic celebration. But the guest list featured some surprising names that are sure to command attention when they attend the awards ceremony in London.

1. Michelle O’Neal

Michelle O’Neill – Sinn Féin’s vice-president and leader in Northern Ireland – will attend the coronation, but the invitation has been controversial. When accepting the invitation, Michelle O’Neill said that she accepted the invitation on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland, “for them, the coronation is a very important moment”. However, the Michel Sinn Féin-run parliament in Northern Ireland has refused to support celebrations to mark King Charles’ coronation. The leader also has links to the Irish Republican Army, which is believed to be responsible for the 1979 bombing of King Charles’ mentor, Lord Mountbatten.

2. Han Zheng

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng will attend the coronation ceremony as Beijing’s representative. Han Zheng, who is believed to be responsible for the crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, has come under fire for his handling of the 2019 demonstrations in Hong Kong, when thousands of pro-democracy protesters were arrested.

3. Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew was forced out of public life in 2019 after being embroiled in a sex abuse scandal, which he has denied all allegations. But Prince Andrew is likely to appear next to King Charles at his coronation at Westminster Abbey because “the king has been very clear about who he wants to represent the monarchy,” reports the Mirror.

4. Haytham Ben Tariq

The current Sultan of Oman – Haitham bin Tariq – ascended the throne after the death of his cousin. The Oxford-educated Haytham bin Tariq personally welcomed Charles and Camilla on a diplomatic visit to Oman in 2016, but his record in dealing with critics has been called into question as many have criticized the government for its social media. Arrested and jailed for media posts.

5. Hassanal Bolkiah

Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has become the world’s longest-reigning monarch since the death of Queen Elizabeth II. But he has been embroiled in controversy over the enforcement of the country’s strict laws that include stoning to death, mutilation and caning for crimes such as adultery.

6. King Abdullah II of Jordan

Following the Pandora papers, the Jordanian monarch has come under criticism as figures show how he secretly amassed a property empire worth more than £70m in the UK and US while imposing austerity measures and taxes on the country’s people.