Mexico's Foreign Minister Faces Backlash Over His Actions At The Queen's Funeral
Correction, September 19 9:10 p.m. EST: An earlier version of this article mischaracterized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This information has been corrected.
On Monday morning, Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral brought together 2000 invited guests from around the world. Thousands of spectators gathered outside Westminster Abbey, hoping to catch a glimpse of the procession before and after the ceremony (via Time). The funeral's extensive guest list featured a carefully arranged seating order, with King Charles III and Camilla, queen consort in the front row, and included a number of family members, royals from other countries, and prominent world leaders. Despite its size, the event proceeded without much incident — aside from some very public faux pas.
One notable misstep was committed by Mexico's secretary of foreign affairs, Marcelo Ebrard. Ebrard, who attended the funeral with his wife, Rosalinda Bueso, is no stranger to formal events, having extensive experience as an elected official. However, a social media post he made featuring a photo ahead of the royal ceremony incited a worldwide flurry of responses.
Selfie taken at the funeral and uploaded to Twitter frowned upon
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard shared several tweets on Monday documenting his time in London, including a photo of him signing the Book of Condolences on behalf of Mexico. But none drew as much ire as the selfie he uploaded of him and his wife in their funeral blacks (via the Daily Mail). "At the State Funeral of HM (Her Majesty) Queen Elizabeth II," the caption read. The photo was uploaded before the funeral began.
Immediately, Twitter users flocked to the comments to express their disappointment. "You're not at a birthday party to be taking selfies, Marcelo," one person wrote. "[Act accordingly.] You are representing Mexico." Others indicated amusement, sharing memes poking fun at Ebrard and his perceived blunder.
Ebrard's selfie wasn't the funeral's only misstep: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced backlash for frivolous behavior in London days before the funeral. Still, while a spokesperson for Trudeau addressed the incident, Ebrard has yet to respond to his own backlash, or to take the offending photo down.