Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss leaves after attending a Service of Prayer and Reflection for the life of Queen Elizabeth II in Cardiff, Wales, Friday Sept. 16, 2022. (AP Photo)
British Prime Minister Liz Truss is primed to hold the first of her confirmed head-to-heads with world leaders as they make the trip to Britain for the Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.
Truss will speak with her counterparts from New Zealand and Australia on Saturday, with the conversations framed by her office as chats rather than formal bilateral meetings.
Downing Street suggested they would be an opportunity for condolences over the queen's death, with politics likely to come up.
The first of the weekend's meetings will be based at the government's Chevening country residence, rather than Chequers, which is said to be undergoing routine maintenance work after Truss's predecessor Boris Johnson's exit.
Truss will see New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian leader Anthony Albanese on Saturday.
Ardern has said the queen's death and new king will be the "focus of conversation," with the pair also likely to discuss Ukraine and Britain's free trade agreement with New Zealand.
But all will be "within the context of the week of mourning that the UK is currently in."
The conversation between Truss and Albanese may also touch on trade, with the countries last year signing a deal estimated by the government to be worth £2.3 billion ($2.6 billion) to the British economy.
When his British counterpart won the Tory leadership contest earlier this month, the Australian PM tweeted: "I look forward to a continued constructive relationship and friendship between our nations and people."
Truss also has a packed diary on Sunday, with plans to meet U.S. President Joe Biden, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Polish President Andrzej Duda in Downing Street.
Truss previously met Biden as foreign secretary, but this will be their first in-person conversation since she became prime minister.
It will take place against a backdrop of disputes over the Northern Ireland Protocol and difficulties working towards a trade deal with the White House.
The controversial post-Brexit treaty is also likely to come up when she speaks to Martin, amid strained relations between the two countries over the trading arrangements.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed the country's Vice-President Wang Qishan will attend the state funeral on Monday, rather than leader Xi Jinping.
He is not expected to be among those to meet Truss during the visit.
