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Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng recently came under fire for allegedly laughing at Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral service that took place on Monday at Westminster Abbey.
A video highlighting the Chancellor’s behavior has gone viral on social media in which Kwarteng could be seen “laughing” shortly before the arrival of the Queen’s coffin.
He can also be seen muttering to himself while guests observe a two-minute silence for the late monarch. At one point, the chancellor could also be seen taking off his glasses, wiping his face with his palm and seemingly swaying side to side.
Kwarteng, who was sitting behind former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, attended the ceremony with thousands of other guests.
As the footage circulated on various social media platforms, several people called out Kwasi Kwarteng for failing to show “respect” to the late Queen, with some people even accusing him of speaking on the phone during the service.
Following the controversy, many people demanded an apology from the Chancellor, with some even asking him to resign from his current position.
Twitter calls out Kwasi Kwarteng for laughing at the Queen’s funeral service
On Monday, September 19, prominent world leaders, global ambassadors and members of the public joined the Royal Family at Westminster Abbey for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral service.
However, Kwasi Kwarteng landed in hot waters for allegedly laughing during the service. As the video of his behavior went viral online, several social media users took to Twitter to call out Kwarteng.
As major backlash continues to pour in online, it is yet to be seen if Kwarteng will address the situation and apologize for the incident in the days to come.
Prior to the latest controversy, the Chancellor faced a similar situation when he was seen laughing in the House of Commons during a 2015 tax credit debate.
According to The Independent, his loud laughter reportedly prompted former Exchequer Secretary Alan Mak to break his statement while he defended the cuts.
About Kwasi Kwarteng in brief
Kwasi Kwarteng is a British politician who currently serves as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer. He is also the former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, a position he held from 2021 to 2022.
The politician was born on May 26, 1975, in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. His parents, Alfred K. Kwarteng and Charlotte Boaitey-Kwarteng, reportedly immigrated to the UK from Ghana.
Kwarteng attended the Colet Court Independent Preparatory School in London before joining Eton College. He became a King’s Scholar at his college and earned the Newcastle Scholarship. He also studied classics and history at Trinity College, Cambridge.
The chancellor attended Harvard University for higher studies and also received a PhD in economic history from the University of Cambridge in 2000. Kwarteng worked as a columnist for The Daily Telegraph and as a financial analyst at JPMorgan Chase before becoming a member of parliament.
The 47-year-old represents the Conservative Party and has been a Member of Parliament for Spelthorne in Northern Surrey since 2010. He was appointed Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union in 2018.
Kwarteng became the Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth after Boris Johnson was elected Prime Minister in 2019. Following Johnson’s resignation, he then supported Liz Truss’ candidature.
Kwasi Kwarteng was appointed the Chancellor of the Exchequer following Truss’ victory as Prime Minister. He also made history by becoming the first African-American to serve as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
