PM will attend Queen Mother's funeral

Original source: New Zealand Herald

Prime Minister Helen Clark will attend the Queen Mother's funeral in Britain next week, she confirmed today. Miss Clark had said she would decide who would represent the Government once other countries made their decision.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced yesterday he would attend the funeral with his wife, Janette.

Miss Clark this morning confirmed she would attend the funeral, to be held next Tuesday at London's Westminster Abbey. She would leave New Zealand on Sunday night and depart Britain after the funeral.

"The Queen Mother was, in every respect, a remarkable woman whose life-time spanned more than a century and who meant a great deal to New Zealanders," Miss Clark said in a statement. "The Queen Mother's courage during World War 2 was very important in boosting the morale of New Zealand and its troops, along with those of all other allied nations, during the bleakest days of the war."

Flags on all government buildings and naval vessels are being flown at half-mast and a condolence book is available at Parliament for the public to sign. A memorial service will be held at Wellington's St Paul's Cathedral after the funeral, but no date has been set.

- NZPA