King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the first German state visit to Britain in 27 years – with a state banquet and formal events at Windsor on Wednesday.
Such state visits are about projecting soft power and building relationships, and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s three-day visit will see a mix of pageantry, politics and culture.
The president’s schedule will include a speech to Parliament, a meeting with German Premier League footballers and a visit to the David Bowie Center in the new wing of the Victoria and Albert Museum in east London.
In a message of reconciliation, there will be a visit to the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, which was bombed during the Second World War.
It reflects a visit to Hamburg during Britain’s state visit to Germany in 2023, when King Charles laid a wreath commemorating civilians killed in Allied bombing during the war.
The state visit of President Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buddenbender will begin on Wednesday with a traditional ceremonial welcome and military parade.
There will be a carriage ride on the way to Windsor Castle – which did not happen during President Trump’s recent US state visit, who flew in and out by helicopter, reducing security risks but also providing no opportunity for protests.
The highlight of such visits is the spectacular state banquet at St George’s Hall, where the King and President will give speeches, with celebrity guests enjoying a showcase dinner.
When in Germany, the king talked about the importance of supporting Ukraine, there will be interest in whether he can raise this topic again against the background of talks about ending the war.
Also in Windsor, President Steinmeier will lay flowers at the grave of the late Queen Elizabeth II at St. George’s Chapel.
Sir Keir Starmer will host a meeting with British and German business leaders at Downing Street alongside President Steinmeier, stressing the importance of economic ties.
It follows the “Kensington Treaty” signed this summer between the UK and Germany, which includes plans for closer co-operation on defense and easier travel between the two countries, including direct rail links.
Programs will feature cultural ties between the countries, including a sleigh designed in 1845 by German-born Prince Albert, who was married to Queen Victoria.
Ms Buddenbender will visit Judith Kerr Primary School in south-east London to mark her connection with Judith Kerr, the German-born author of the children’s book The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
The University of Oxford will present an honorary degree to President Steinmeier, on a visit where he will learn about medical research at the university.
President Steinmeier’s visit to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will include meeting German footballers in the Premier League.
And in the V&A East Storehouse, which houses the museum’s collection on show, visitors will see the David Bowie Centre, which includes objects related to the pop star, such as stage outfits and musical instruments.
Bowie had a strong association with Berlin, having lived and worked in the city in the 1970s.
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