UK
King Charles welcomes German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Windsor Castle for historic state visit
King Charles has welcomed German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Windsor Castle at the start of a historic visit to the UK.
It is the first state visit for German leader in 27 years, and the streets of Windsor have been adorned with German flags and Union Jacks.
Mr Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Budenbender, were met outside Windsor and Eton Riverside train station by King Charles and Queen Camilla, with the famous castle as the backdrop.
King Charles opened his arms wide, and Mr Steinmeier said: “It’s so wonderful, Your Majesty, to see you again.”
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and King Charles at Windsor Castle.
Pic: PA
They took a carriage ride to the castle, where they received a ceremonial welcome.
A state banquet will be held this evening. Around 160 guests will join them in St George’s Hall, where a Christmas tree, decked with 3,000 lights, will be on display.
King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess of Wales, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Elke Buedenbender attend a welcome ceremony. Pic: Reuters
Mr Steinmeier also joined Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at a roundtable of UK and German business leaders.
It came alongside the announcement of a £20m electric vehicle (EV) project, led by German car manufacturer Mercedes. The initiative is set to create an initial 150 jobs in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire.
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A new partnership was signed by Germany and the UK in July, known as the Kensington Treaty, with Sir Keir saying at the time that the UK and Germany would “work ever more closely”.
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At his meeting with Mr Steinmeier, the prime minister said the UK’s relationship with Germany is in a “very, very strong position”.
He told the president at Downing Street: “You and I sat down in Berlin last year, and I remember distinctly you saying to me that the relationship between our two countries was beginning a new chapter, a new opening. And I profoundly believe that that is right.”
Pic: Reuters
Referencing the Kensington Treaty, Sir Keir added: “We’ve also worked very, very closely on hugely important issues like Ukraine, where our two countries think alike and act alike, on issues of migration and on economic growth and trade, where we go from strength to strength.”
Mr Steinmeier will pay his respects and lay flowers at the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II in Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel on Thursday morning before addressing parliament later in the day.