Colin Powell's widow Alma lead mourners including Joe and Jill Biden, former presidents and the most prominent members of the political and military elite at his funeral on Friday following his death from COVID complications last month at age 84.
Barack and Michelle Obama, George W. and Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton - without her husband Bill during his recovery from an infection - sat together in the front row for the Pentagon powerhouse's ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, national security advisor Condoleeza Rice were also in attendance to pay tribute to the first black Secretary of State who served five administrations.
The late general will be eulogized by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Dr. Anthony Fauci was also spotted at the service, as was Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with Biden advisor Susan Rice and State Department spokesperson Ned Price.
Powell, who was battling a rare blood cancer, died last month at 84 from complications related to COVID-19. He had been vaccinated by his family said his immune system was compromised by his battle with multiple myeloma.
The funeral begins at noon ET. Neither Biden nor Obama are expected to speak.
Once the Bidens arrive, they join the row of ex-first families
President and First Lady Biden arrived after the Obamas and Bushes at the service on Friday at Washington National Cathedral where the late general will be eulogized by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
Barack and Michelle Obama are seated at the funeral next to George and Laura Bush, with Hillary Clinton sitting solo on the end
Joe Biden and Barack Obama will led the mourners at Colin Powell's funeral service at Washington National Cathedral
Powell's casket arrives at the National Cathedral
Guests rise as the casket is carried in
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chats with Dr. Anthony Fauci before the service
Former U.S. President George W. Bush and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrive at the funeral service
Absent from the funeral will be former President Trump, who lambasted the media for treating Powell so 'beautifully' one day after his death.
'Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media,' Trump said in a statement. 'Hope that happens to me someday. He was a classic RINO [Republican In Name Only], if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!'
Powell will be eulogized by Albright, who preceded him as secretary of state; Richard Armitage, who was deputy secretary under Powell and had known him since they served together in the Pentagon during the Reagan administration; and Powell's son Michael.
He is survived by his wife Alma, who had also tested positive for Covid around the same time, their three children and multiple grandchildren.
Morning dawns over the National Cathedral ahead of the funeral service for U.S. former Secretary of State Colin Powel
Former Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne Cheney attended the service. Powell was secretary of state when
