Joe Biden was among 500 foreign dignitaries leaders—including 100 heads of state—who attended a reception Sunday at Buckingham Palace on the eve of Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral. He had previously paid a visit to Westminster Hall, to view the queen’s lying in state, and then signed a book of condolence, saying that Her Majesty’s death “leaves a giant hole.” Biden compared the queen to his own mother, saying she was similar in the way “she touched, when she leaned over... she had that look, like 'Are you okay?, Anything I can do for you? What do you need?,' and also, [makes] sure you do what you need to do.” Many other heads of state mingled with the public at the lying-in-state, the kings of Spain and Sweden and the first lady of Ukraine included.