King Charles III landed in Berlin on Wednesday for his government’s first state visit for a salute and military overflight.
He and Camille, the queen consort, were met at Brandenburg Airport by two overflying military aircraft and were greeted by German officials.
The royal couple then traveled to the Brandenburg Gate, a landmark in the German capital, to meet Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Budenbender. They were later guests of honor at a state banquet at Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the Federal President.
The start of the tour was not easy when the first leg of their trip to France was postponed due to strikes and unrest caused by President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform.
Before arriving in Germany, King Charles and Camilla stated that they were “very happy to meet everyone who makes this country so special.”
They added, “It’s great to be able to further deepen the long-standing friendship between our two peoples.”
The king will take part in several events, including a speech to the German Bundestag on Thursday. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, talk to British and German military personnel and visit an organic farm near Berlin.
On Friday they will travel to Hamburg where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial to Jewish children who fled Germany for the UK during the Nazi regime and take part in a clean energy event before returning to the UK.
Royal fans, some with British and German flags, arrived at the Brandenburg Gate early to catch a glimpse of the royal couple as police and sniffer dogs combed the area.
1,500 spectators were allowed onto the site, according to a German news agency.
Christoph Mühlbach, who traveled by train from Hamburg to see the British royal family, said he had supported the royal family for 20 years and traveled to London for the queen’s weddings, anniversaries and funerals.
“I have a lot of fun in the British royal family,” says the 59-year-old dpa.
Gabriele Fluchter from Berlin said she came “out of love for England”, where she went to university. The 57-year-old said she saw the Queen during a visit to Berlin and had seen Charles and Camilla before.
It is hoped that the trip will help Britain rebuild relations with the EU after several tumultuous years of Brexit discussions.
In a statement earlier this month, a Buckingham Palace official said: “The visit will celebrate the UK’s relationship with France and Germany and highlight our shared history, culture and values.
“It is also an opportunity to look into the future and show how our countries are working together, whether it is fighting climate change; response to the conflict in Ukraine; Take advantage of trading and investment opportunities or share the best of our art and culture.”
The trip is seen as the first major test of whether the king can effectively use “soft power”, considered the royal family’s greatest asset, while highlighting what he cares about, such as the environment.
Source: I News
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.