Joe Biden's 'Beast' hits a traffic jam en route to queen's funeral

US president's armoured vehicle gets stuck on its way to Westminster Abbey

Joe Biden was driven to Westminster Abbey in his armoured car, known as The Beast. Reuters

Joe Biden’s car was caught in traffic as the US president made his way to Westminster Abbey for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on Monday.

The armoured vehicle, nicknamed The Beast, was held up outside a Pret a Manger cafe near Marble Arch.

Joe Armitage, a British political consultant, filmed the moment and said members of the public attempted to approach the car when it stopped but were halted by police.

“Everybody was aghast when the massive motorcade with half a dozen outriders came to a complete stop and the president of the United States came into view, just a metre away,” Mr Armitage told the PA news agency.

“People attempted to walk up to his window but were quickly ordered away.”

Mr Biden was allowed to travel in The Beast rather than the fleet of buses that took most of the VIP guests from a meeting point at Royal Hospital Chelsea to the abbey.

The motorcade, which included several security vehicles, later drove past Hyde Park before the US president’s arrival at Westminster Abbey shortly after 10am.

Mr Biden was travelling to the funeral with his wife Jill Biden, with whom he also attended the monarch’s lying in state on Sunday evening.