King Charles welcomes German president on first state visit in 27 years
Baku, December 3, AZERTAC
King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales have welcomed the German president to the UK for a state visit, BBC reports.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Budenbender were given a ceremonial royal reception in Windsor, with marching bands and a carriage ride to the castle.
They might not have been expecting the bright winter sunshine, as the president brought a gift of an umbrella to the King, on what was the first German state visit to the UK in 27 years.
Such state visits are about projecting soft power and building relationships, and the three-day visit will see a mix of pageantry, politics and cultural ties.
William and Catherine first met the president and his wife at Heathrow airport early on Wednesday, before they travelled onwards to Windsor to be greeted by the King and Queen outside Windsor and Eton Riverside train station.
Steinmeier addressed the King warmly: "It's so wonderful, your majesty, to see you again."
The group then made their way towards the castle in a carriage procession along Windsor High Street, with Charles and Steinmeier travelling together as German flags waved overhead.
At the castle, there was an exchange of official gifts. The German visitors, maybe attempting to show that they do have a sense of humour, gave the King an umbrella.
There was also a copy of Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Christmas tree ornaments, a nutcracker and some special cheese from a German eco-village.
For Steinmeier, the King gave a horn-handled walking stick made by craftsman from the Isle of Mull, a decorative plate and a first edition of Virginia Woolf's biography of the Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning's dog, called Flush.
The German visitors were given a formal welcoming ceremony, watching a military parade on the manicured lawns inside Windsor Castle, with 850 service personnel and 150 horses taking part.
Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic said they were prevented by the police from holding a protest and displaying a banner on the route by the procession, saying it was a "disgraceful attack on free speech".
In response, Thames Valley Police said they had "facilitated a peaceful protest" and officers had "asked them to step back to our designated protest area" and had stopped them using a loudhailer when horses were nearby.
"Everyone has a right to protest, but if these demonstrations become disruptive or a threat to the public or animals in the procession, we will take appropriate action," said the police, who added no arrests had been made.
State visits are planned by the Foreign Office to cultivate diplomatic relations with important partners.
After a morning of royal hospitality, President Steinmeier went to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for talks in Downing Street.
The German president said relations between the two countries were in "far better shape" after "some years with growing difficulties" following the UK's vote to leave the European Union in 2016.
"We have a new security situation in Europe, if not in the whole world," Steinmeier said, and praised a UK-Germany treaty signed in July for helping to achieve closer cooperation.
Sir Keir said the relationship had gone "from strength to strength" on matters including the war in Ukraine, migration and trade.
This visit is intended to reinforce the Kensington Treaty, which emphasised military and business co-operation and closer links between the UK and Germany, including plans for a direct rail link.
The UK government is also hoping for more help from Germany in stopping illegal migration. The National Crime Agency has previously said equipment used to cross the Channel has been stored in Germany.
Meanwhile, Ms Budenbender visited Judith Kerr Primary School in south-east London - to mark the connection to its namesake, Judith Kerr, the German-born author of the children's book The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
Later, speeches will be made at an evening state banquet in St George's Hall inside Windsor Castle, with guests to include celebrities alongside the royals and politicians.
It is likely that some of the King's speech will be delivered in German.
When he visited Germany in 2023, King Charles spoke about the need to support Ukraine and there will be attention paid to what he might say about the war, and ongoing negotiations to end it.
The previous state visit was US President Trump, who travelled in and out of Windsor by helicopter, increasing his security and avoiding protestors, rather than taking part in a public carriage ride.
With Christmas approaching there have been references to the German roots of some Christmas traditions, including popularising the Christmas tree by Queen Victoria's husband Albert.
The visitors were shown items from the Royal Collection include Victoria's diary from 1845 when she recorded a trip to Albert's birthplace, Schloss Rosenau in Coburg.
There will be symbolic signs of reconciliation, including a visit by the German president to the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, bombed during World War II.
This mirrors a visit to Hamburg during the UK state visit to Germany, when King Charles laid a wreath remembering the civilian casualties of wartime Allied bombing raids.
Oxford University will award an honorary degree to President Steinmeier, and on a trip to the city he will see medical technology developed by a Germany company, Siemens Healthineers.
The German president will go to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to meet German footballers who play in the English Premier League.
And at the V&A East Storehouse the visitors will see the David Bowie Centre, which contains items related to the pop star, such as stage outfits and musical instruments.
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