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Kwasi Kwarteng, UK Finance Minister, under fire for smiling during Queen’s funeral

Collage of Kwasi Kwarteng at the Westminster Abbey

On Monday, September 19, 2022; people from all walks of life attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at the Westminster Abbey in London.

Millions across the world followed the event on TV, online and across social media platforms as the world paid its last respects to the monarch who reigned for seven decades.

The event as expected was strictly by invitation, so much so that, even some world leaders were not invited – among others, Vladimir Putin and Emerson Mnangagwa, presidents of Russia and Zimbabwe respectively.

Per GhanaWeb’s checks, four Ghanaians were formally invited to the event for different reasons. Ghana’s First Couple were in London for the event as were two other personalities with Ghanaian parentage who are British.

Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, a one-time equerry of the Queen was in attendance, escorting the cortege on its last journey from the Westminster Abbey to the Royal Vault. The fourth Ghanaian was Kwasi Kwarteng.

Kwarteng, who is British-born but with Ghanaian ancestry, and the current UK Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister), was also in attendance.

He, however, courted controversy on social media after he was captured in a viral video smiling at a point during the ceremony – specifically when a two-minute silence had been declared for the memory of the queen.

Angry social media users – especially on Twitter – called for his head for desecrating what was a solemn occasion for the nation.

Others also alleged that Kwarteng was smiling at himself because he was most likely picking a personal call and had been told something that gave his cause to smile at a rather off time.

Kwarteng, as a senior member of Prime Minister Liz Truss’ government had a prominent seat at the venue of the service.

Below are some of the critical tweets:

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Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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