A statue of former South African President Nelson Mandela is seen with the Big Ben clock tower and the Houses of Parliament in the background in central London, 9 December 2013 (Photo: Reuters)
All three surviving former British premiers are to join current Prime Minister David Cameron in South Africa at a massive memorial service for Nelson Mandela, it was announced on Monday.
John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown will join Cameron for Tuesday's service at Soweto's FNB stadium, where 91 heads of state including US President Barack Obama will pay their respects to the late anti-apartheid icon along with 80,000 mourners.
British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, leader of Cameron's junior coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, and the leader of the main opposition Labour party Ed Miliband are also attending the service, Cameron's office said.
It is believed to be the first time in many years that all surviving British premiers have travelled abroad to attend the same event.
Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, will represent his mother Queen Elizabeth II at the funeral ceremony on Sunday in Qunu, Mandela's boyhood home, where he is to be buried in a family plot.
The queen said she was "deeply saddened" by Mandela's death last Thursday, but the 87-year-old monarch has been cutting back on long-haul travel in recent months.
British lawmakers were set to pay tribute to South Africa's first black president at the House of Commons on Monday.
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