Former US President George W. Bush is set to eulogise his late father, George H.W. Bush, at the Washington National Cathedral on Wednesday, the most high-profile event in a week of proceedings that will remember the remarkable life of the former leader who died last week.
George H.W. Bush will also be eulogised by former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, former US Senator and close friend Alan Simpson and historian Jon Meacham, the late President’s biographer.
President Donald Trump will not speak at the funeral, informed sources told CNN on Monday, but has said that he will attend a memorial later on Wednesday.
Despite the fact that Trump’s rise to power included lambasting former Presidents, including both Bushes, the President has responded to Bush Sr’s death with repeated laudatory comments.
Trump will pay a condolence call to the Bush family on Tuesday at Blair House, according to the sources, a government house across the street from the White House.
Besides Trump, all other living Presidents — Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter — are expected to attend the funeral.
The casket bearing the late leader’s remains arrived at the Capitol on Monday shortly after being transported to Andrews Air Base on the outskirts of Washington.
Bush will lie in state until Wednesday morning when his casket will then be transported to the National Cathedral for the first of two funeral services.
The German government press service announced on Monday that Chancellor Angela Merkel will fly to Washington D.C., to take part in the memorial service for the late President, who oversaw the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany.
On Thursday, Bush’s casket will travel back to Houston, where he will be memorialised at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and eulogised by his grandson, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, and former Secretary of State James Baker, a man who has been by Bush Sr’s side since he failed 1970 Senate campaign in Texas.
The former President passed away in Houston on the night of November 30 at the age of 94.
The patriarch of the Bush family served as a fighter pilot during World War II, later being elected to Congress, serving as UN Ambassador, CIA Director, Vice President under Ronald Reagan between 1981 and 1989 and finally being elected President and serving for one term from 1989-1993 during which time he presided over the end of the Cold War and launched the Gulf War to drive invading Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.