King Charles welcomes German president on first state visit in 27 years

King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales have welcomed the German president to the UK for a state visit.

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.

German flags were flying along Windsor High Street for the carriage procession, with the King and President Steinmeier travelling together.

Prince William and Catherine were part of the welcoming party, with Catherine wearing earrings that once belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

There was an exchange of official gifts, with the German visitors, maybe attempting to show that they do have a sense of humour, by giving 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 President 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.

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 in Downing Street.

And this visit is intended to reinforce the Kensington Treaty, signed between the UK and Germany in July, which emphasised military and business co-operation and closer links between the countries, 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.

This evening speeches will be made at the state banquet in St George’s Hall, inside Windsor Castle, with guests to include celebrities alongside the royals and politicians.

It’s 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.

“I remember going to this years ago,” said King Charles.

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.

Ms Budenbender will visit the 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.

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.