Justin Trudeau is in the midst of a royal scandal, and for what some might say are some admittedly nitpicky reasons. On Saturday night, two days before Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral, Canada’s prime minister was seen rocking a T-shirt and relaxing with fellow members of the Canadian delegation in London’s Corinthia Hotel. At one point, someone caught Trudeau on camera leaning on a piano and sing-speaking Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and the footage has thrown people into a tizzy. And Trevor Noah claimed to totally agree with them.
Justin Trudeau singing Bohemian Rhapsody is the worst thing you’ll watch all day. pic.twitter.com/kfjLTbzjUL
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) September 19, 2022
Hard to believe this joker is the Prime Minister of a wonderful country like Canada.
Watch: Justin Trudeau sings Bohemian Rhapsody in London hotel days before Queen’s funeral https://t.co/ekAAimwsAW
— Nile Gardiner (@NileGardiner) September 19, 2022
From UK media:
Justin Trudeau sings Bohemian Rhapsody in London hotel days before Queen’s funeral: Canadian prime minister criticized for being ‘disrespectful’ and failing to show ‘decorum’ as footage emerges of his Saturday night fun https://t.co/mwzXyj5m0o— Lorrie Goldstein (@sunlorrie) September 19, 2022
You’re not just an authoritarian leader, you’re an utter embarrassment @JustinTrudeau .
If being a serial ‘blackfacer’ isn’t bad enough,singing Bohemian Rhapsody in a bar the night before you mark Britain’s biggest day in decades…my god.Poor Canadians
Poor ‘Peoplekind’..
— Adam Brooks
(@EssexPR) September 19, 2022
Poor judgment from Justin Trudeau has become a pattern. Black facing, thank you for your donation, ethnocentric behaviour on international trips, bowing before Iranian foreign minister and partying on eve of a state funeral… https://t.co/pI56HsYrEu
— Senator Leo Housakos (@SenatorHousakos) September 20, 2022
As The Daily Show host explained on Tuesday night: “People are saying it was disrespectful, and they’re right. You don’t sing a song by Queen when the Queen has died. That’s insulting. You sing Wu-Tang! It was her favorite group!”
Noah admitted that he doesn’t “get why people are so angry about it. Who cares? It’s not like he sang ‘Another One Bites the Dust.’”
You can watch the full clip above, beginning at the :40 mark.
For the record: Trudeau’s team has responded to the criticisms of his behavior.
As the BBC reported, a spokesperson for the PM stated that:
After dinner on Saturday, [the] prime minister joined a small gathering with members of the Canadian delegation, who have come together to pay tribute to the life and service of Her Majesty.
Gregory Charles, a renowned musician from Quebec and Order of Canada recipient, played piano in the hotel lobby which resulted in some members of the delegation including the prime minister joining.
The same spokesperson also reiterated that “the prime minister has taken part in various activities to pay his respects for the Queen,” including marking September 19 as a National Day of Mourning in Canada.