anger over Anthony Albanese’s refusal to allow Ben Roberts-Smith to board the aircraft for the Queen’s burial

A Liberal front bencher has lashed out at Australian officials who questioned why embattled soldier Ben Roberts-Smith was invited to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral –  describing the saga as a disgrace.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is taking a group of dignitaries, VIPs and ‘everyday’ Australians on his jet to London to attend the funeral of Her Majesty next Monday at Westminister Abbey.

But that invitation wasn’t extended to Mr Roberts-Smith or other Victoria Cross recipients – with the controversial digger spotted at Brisbane International Airport on Thursday boarding a commercial flight to London.

Shadow defence minister Phillip Thompson slammed Australian embassy staff who questioned Mr Roberts-Smith’s invitation to the funeral, briefing media that they expected he would turn it down.

Mr Thompson, an ex-soldier himself, called for them to be sacked – and said the trooper should’ve been taken to the UK on the PM’s RAFF aircraft, which left Sydney on Thursday night.

‘All Victoria Cross recipients have been personally invited at the request of Her Majesty,’ he wrote on a private Instagram page dedicated to supporting Mr Roberts-Smith.

‘They all should have flown on (Anthony Albanese’s) plane. A fundamental pillar of democracy is presumption of innocence.

‘That hasn’t occurred for Ben or any of our soldiers, it’s been trial and conviction by the media. It’s disgusting.

‘The consulate staff who made that comment about Ben attending should be sacked.’

He called on the prime minister to intervene, investigate and remove consulate staff involved from their positions as ‘they do not uphold Australian values.’

“They cowardly hide behind ‘consulate official’ in the paper and don’t have the fortitude to put their names to the comment,’ Mr Thompson continued.

‘It’s clear they don’t believe in the rule of law and presumption of innocence, therefore should not be representing Australia at the High Commission in the UK.’

Mr Thompson himself was previously a soldier in the Townsville-based First Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and served in Afghanistan prior to entering politics.

Mr Roberts-Smith, 43, and Afghanistan veterans Mark Donaldson and Daniel Keighran, and Vietnam veteran Keith Payne were invited separately by the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association.

The Queen was patron of the association since it began in 1956, and asked before her death that all living members be invited to her funeral.

As they were invited separately to Mr Albanese’s entourage, they must make their own way to London.

However the Defence Department has said the federal government would cover the cost of their flights ‘upon request’.

Australian High Commission officials in London reportedly expected Mr Roberts-Smith would decline to attend while dogged by accusations of war crimes and a high-profile trial and were reportedly concerned that he will be there.

Mr Roberts- Smith is suing Nine Entertainment publications The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times for defamation over a series of articles that alleged he engaged in unlawful behavior in Afghanistan.

Mr Roberts-Smith has never been charged with any offence relating to his conduct while serving.

Mr Albanese, joined by his partner Jodie Haydon was the first world leader to set off for the Queen’s funeral from Sydney on Thursday night.

He was joined by ‘everyday Australians’ extended an invitation, including Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott and horse trainer Gai Waterhouse.

Senior Australian of the Years Valmai Dempsy and Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, Local Heroes Shanna Whan, Saba Abraham, and Kim Smith, Young Australian of the Year Trudy Lin, Western Australian of the Year Helen Milroy, and i4give founder Danny Abdallah were also invited.

Around 500 dignitaries and heads of state are expected to attend Monday’s historic event in the centre of London.