Royals welcome German president for first state visit in 27 years
Prince William and Princess Kate invited the German President and his wife to England for an official visit.
The Prince and Princess of Wales performed their customary duties on behalf of King Charles at Heathrow airport on Wednesday morning, at the start of Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Budenbender’s state visit.
This is the first state visit by a German president to the UK in 27 years and the fifth since 1958. This follows the King and Queen’s state visit to Germany in 2023.
A carpeting party from the Royal Air Force’s King’s Color Squadron was on hand Wednesday for the arrival of the president’s Bundesrepublik Deutschland aircraft, which featured a stripe of the colors of the German flag.
Wearing a suit, William greeted the King’s guests alongside Kate, who wore a blue Burberry dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, with a matching hat, slicked-down hair and earrings that belonged to William’s late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, and a Prince of Wales Feather Brooch.
The royal couple shook hands with the president and his wife, and Ms. Budenbender put her hand to her chest as she smiled and chatted with Kate.
Also waiting for you at the airport in west London was a welcome party, including Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Matt Jukes and the British ambassador to Germany, Andrew Mitchell.
Mr. Steinmeier and Ms. Budenbender will then be escorted to Windsor; where they will be formally welcomed by Charles and Camilla at the open-air royal dais in the center of the Berkshire town, before enjoying a drive through the streets and through the crowds to the castle to begin their three-day stay.
Mr Steinmeier will be welcomed with a ceremony in the castle courtyard, attended by the King, Camilla, William and Kate, and a grand state banquet at the historic royal residence’s St George’s Hall on Wednesday evening.
On Thursday morning, he met the late Queen Elizabeth II in the castle’s St George’s Chapel, before attending the Great Charity reception with the King and Queen to showcase the impact of volunteering on communities. He will place special flowers on Elizabeth’s grave.
Before a formal farewell they will be shown the State Sleigh, designed by Queen Victoria’s German-born husband Prince Albert and recorded in Victoria’s diary in 1845.
