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AAP
AAP
Politics
Finbar O'Mallon

Diggers get royal welcome ahead of funeral

Australian troops in London have been visited by the Prince and Princess of Wales. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO) (AAP)

Australian troops who will be part of the memorial ceremonies for the late Queen have been greeted by the Prince of Wales as they prepare in London.

Prince William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, visited the group of about 40 Australian defence personnel to thank them for their attendance.

The Diggers are representing Australia as part of the funeral arrangements for Queen Elizabeth II on Monday.

They will be joined by other commonwealth troops from Canada and New Zealand.

The Queen held a number of defence titles including colonel-in-chief of the Royal Australian Engineers, Royal Australian Infantry, Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps and Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps.

Recipients of Australia's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, including army veteran Ben Roberts-Smith, will also attend.

Mr Roberts-Smith is awaiting the outcome of his defamation suit against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times over 2018 reports claiming he committed war crimes during his service in Afghanistan.

The 43-year-old denies all allegations of wrongdoing, while the newspapers are defending them as true.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has arrived in London ahead of the memorial ceremonies, said Mr Roberts-Smith was invited by Buckingham Palace.

The Queen's funeral will be televised at 8pm AEST on Monday.

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