LONDON — Canada will play a “leading role” in ceremonies in the United Kingdom and Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral in London, Canada’s high commissioner has said, as preparations in the UK ramp up a week before the funeral service.

Ralph Goodale told The Canadian Press that Canadian officials had already started arriving in London to handle the logistics. Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and armed forces were due to land within the next two days.

“As one of the oldest countries in the Commonwealth, Canada will play a prominent role when the coffin is laid in state and later during official visits by the governor-general and prime minister,” Mr Goodale said in a telephone interview on Sunday.

The coffin of the late Queen left Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sunday, where it was taken by hearse to the capital, Edinburgh. He was then due to be transported from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Saint Gilles Cathedral on Monday, where the public will have 24 hours to come and parade.

The coffin will be flown to London on Tuesday, where it will lie in state for four days before next Monday’s funeral at Westminster Abbey.

Mr Goodale was at Buckingham Palace on Sunday, where he was attending a meeting of Commonwealth officials hosted by the new King Charles III. At that meeting, he was able to express his condolences to the new monarch on Canada’s behalf and “our best wishes in his new role as king,” he said.

Mr Goodale said preparations for the funeral were a “colossal” undertaking for British officials, who have just a week to complete planning for a final farewell to a beloved global figure and to coordinate the travel and travel of attending world leaders .

He said he will be one of Canada’s three “official people” at the funeral, alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor-General Mary Simon. Mr Goodale’s office is currently working with Rideau Hall, the prime minister’s office and other officials in Canada to determine how many other Canadians may attend, he said.

Canada will also be represented with a large contingent of military personnel. “And of course (the Queen) was very fond of the RCMP so no doubt they will play a role in the ceremonies (this week) and then the funeral itself,” he added.

A more “extroverted” king

Mr Goodale said while his office is busy coordinating planning, he has not lost sight of the historic nature of the event. The Queen “has been a dominant factor in so many people’s lives for so long,” he said. And now she’s gone. Accepting it is a big change.”

Mr Goodale also believes it’s too early to say what kind of King Charles III will be for Canada, but there are signs he thinks he could be “a little more outgoing and a little less reserved” than his Mother.

He noted that after the death of his mother, the new monarch came out to greet the public, which he said shows a desire to connect with the people. The accession council, which King Charles III. officially proclaimed, brought in the television cameras for the first time in what Mr Goodale describes as a “gesture of openness and inclusion”.

“I see a person here who wants to travel, connect with people and be personally available as much as possible,” said the Canadian diplomat.

He expects the new monarch to continue to focus on issues important to Canada, including climate change, energy and reconciliation with the First Peoples.

During their meeting on Sunday, Mr Goodale said he and the royal couple had discussed their previous official visits to Canada, including last May’s three-day trip to Saint John, Yellowknife and Ottawa. Although he is not authorized to issue an official invitation, Mr Goodale said he has tried to “open the door” for future visits – and he believes he received what he believed to be a positive response.

“They were also very happy with (the recent visit) and wished it had lasted longer, which I took as a signal that they might be back very soon,” he said.