Liz Truss is set to hold one-on-one talks with US President Joe Biden ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday.
More than 100 heads of state will travel to London to pay their respects to the former monarch who died last Thursday.
Both Downing Street and the Foreign Office stressed that the funeral would not become a diplomatic exercise.
But it is now understood that Ms Truss will be holding a small number of meetings with several key allies ahead of Monday’s funeral.
Joe Biden and Liz Truss
PA
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Phil Noble
Among those will be Mr Biden, with the pair set to meet for the first time since Ms Truss became Prime Minister last week.
Last Friday, Mr Biden confirmed that he would be attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
The US President was asked by reporters: “Are you going the Queen’s funeral sir.”
To which Mr Biden replied: “Yes, I don’t know what the details are yet but I will be going.”
Ms Truss could also hold meetings French President Emmanuel Macron and her Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.
But she is unlikely to be meeting with the likes of Germany chancellor Olaf Scholz and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi because they are not formal heads of state and therefore not expected to travel to London.
While No.10 has not confirmed whether such meetings would be going ahead, a Government source told the Times: “They will primarily be about paying their respects and will be low key.”
