justin trudeau queen funeral

Justin Trudeau facing criticism over video of Queen tribute

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among the many current and former heads of state in London to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

But it's not all sorrow and mourning across the pond, as a video has emerged appearing to show the PM belting out a spirited rendition of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

It was a touching memorial to the Queen, or at least the band Queen, with Trudeau crooning over a piano in the lobby of London's exclusive Corinthia Hotel (where rooms cost a hefty $2,350 per night for the period of the Queen's funeral), dressed informally in a maroon t-shirt as onlookers record and sip on glasses of wine.

The video — showing the PM performing with recording artist and Order of Canada recipient Gregory Charles — has been blowing up on social media, in part thanks to the clever caption, "How do you say you were a drama teacher without saying you were a drama teacher."

Many allege that the video was recorded several months earlier, when Trudeau was in London to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, though the pianist in the clip is indeed part of the PM’s current entourage for the funeral trip.

Twitter's very vocal right-wing contingent has jumped all over the video, with many complaining that the joyous rendition — reportedly delivered on the eve of the queen's funeral — was a disrespectful move by Trudeau.

It's only a 14-second clip of JT enjoying himself, but somehow it has quickly become one of the most polarizing topics in Canadian politics.

A few commenters have suggested that Trudeau appears intoxicated in the video, evoking the same style of speculative partisan moral panic seen in Finland weeks earlier when that country's Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, was recorded innocently enjoying herself with friends — gasp.

Trudeau has since issued a statement confirming the video's events.

Following the Queen's funeral, the Prime Minister is scheduled to depart London bound for New York City.

Lead photo by

Lisa Power


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