King Charles lauds German-UK relations in Bundestag speech
March 30, 2023
Britain's King Charles III has addressed the Bundestag on his first trip abroad since becoming monarch. The monarch applauded Berlin for the help it has given Ukraine — and paid tribute to Anglo-German cultural links.
The British king spoke in both German and English, alternating several times between the twoImage: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa/picture alliance
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King Charles met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin ahead of his speech to Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday.
Charles opened his speech in German, alternating with English several times. "My wife and myself are very, very pleased that my first overseas tour as king is an invitation to Germany," he said.
"I'm particularly pleased that I'm able to speak here today to reassert the commitment between our countries on the basis of friendship."
He praised Germany's help for Ukraine in the country's defense against Russia.
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"The decision of Germany, to give such great military support to Ukraine was an exceedingly courageous, important and welcome decision," the king said.
As the largest European donors, he added, both countries had responded and made decisions that might have previously been unimaginable.
The monarch thanked the German people for their "extraordinary kindness" following the death of his mother saying he and his family had been "deeply touched" by the messages written in condolence books across Germany.
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He spoke about cultural connections between the two countries, comparing such cultural phenomena as Bach and Byron with more modern ones like Kraftwerk and The Beatles.
Ahead of the king's speech, German Bundestag President Bärbel Bas welcomed him saying it was a "great honor."
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What's left on Charles' itinerary?
The address to parliament is part of a busy agenda for Charles while visiting the German capital.
Earlier, the monarch signed Berlin's Golden Book — the city's official guestbook for high-profile visitors — and there was a visit to a weekly market in the capital.
The afternoon agenda included a visit to a center for Ukrainian refugees at the city's former Tegel airport together with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Charles also met soldiers from a German-British engineer battalion in Finowfurt, northeast of Berlin, and visited an eco-village to make cheese and discuss organic farming — one of the king's passions.
The royal visit will continue for a final day on Friday with a visit to the northern port city of Hamburg.
At the start of his trip on Wednesday, Charles and his wife Camilla were greeted by Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate with a ceremonial welcome including military honors. The start of his visit was followed by a state dinner in the evening at the German head of state's Bellevue Palace residence.
Steinmeier thanked Charles for choosing Germany as his first foreign trip after becoming the new British king, claiming it to be "an important signal for German-British relations."
A special relationship: Britain's Charles III visits Germany
Charles III and his wife Camilla, the queen consort, will be in Germany from Wednesday for three days. They face a busy schedule. Charles, a regular in Germany, will be familiar with many of the stops.
Image: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP
Ceremonial welcome at Brandenburg Gate
The royal couple will, for the first time, be welcomed with military honors at the Brandenburg Gate. No state guest has been greeted at this Berlin landmark before, according to the office of the German president. The special welcome symbolizes the close relationship between Germany and the United Kingdom. Charles and Camilla made a stop at the Brandenburg Gate in 2019.
Image: Soeren Stache/dpa/picture alliance
Almost best friends
King Charles and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have developed a friendly relationship over the course of their many meetings. Here, the two met in May 2019 in front of the entrance to Bellevue Palace, the president's official residence. This is where a state banquet in honor of the royal guests is planned for the evening of March 29.
The British monarch is also scheduled to visit the Bundestag. In November 2020, he gave a speech there on Remembrance Day — in German, but to an almost empty parliament due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. This time, he is expected to face a full hall.
Image: Axel Schmidt/AP Photo/picture alliance
Visit to Hamburg
On day two of the state visit, King Charles is set to tour a German-British military unit in Brandenburg that specializes in bridge construction. Accompanied by the German president, he will then travel to Hamburg. In the port of Hamburg, the king, who has had a keen interest in environmental protection for decades, will be shown some local climate-friendly technologies.
Image: Marcus Brandt/dpa/picture alliance
Remembrance at St. Nikolai Church
Codenamed Operation Gomorrah, Britain and the US flew massive air raids on Hamburg in July 1943. More than 35,000 people died in the so-called Hamburg firestorm, and almost 1 million people were left homeless. The ruins of St. Nikolai church still stand today as a World War II memorial. King Charles and Steinmeier will lay wreaths at the church in remembrance.
Image: Joko/Bildagentur-online/picture alliance
1987 Hamburg visit
During their visit, King Charles and Camilla will also sign the city's Golden Book at Hamburg City Hall. Charles signed the book way back in November 1987 when he visited the German port city with then wife, Diana (above). The couple was invited to visit the city by the former lord mayor of Hamburg, Klaus von Dohnanyi (far left in the photo).
Image: Carsten Rehder/dpa/picture alliance
Honored guest in 2009
The king has also been to Bellevue Palace before, at the invitation of former German President Horst Köhler in 2009. At the time, he was also accompanied by Camilla. Their marriage is considered a victory of love over protocol in the British royal family.
Image: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa/picture alliance
Visits galore to Germany
Since 1962, Charles has visited Germany more than 40 times, which the king himself noted when reiterating his close ties with the country. Most of his stays have been private, though he rarely left without meeting with his fans. Here he jokes with onlookers in Munich in 1995 before paying a visit to the famous Viktualienmarkt farmers market.
Image: Frank Augstein/AP Photo/picture alliance
Germans happy without a monarchy
According to a Forsa survey conducted on the occasion of the king's visit, many Germans welcome royalty from afar yet wouldn't care to have royals of their own. Only 8% of Germans would like to see a German monarchy. Most citizens are content to have a federal president as their state representative.
Image: Peter Kneffel/dpa/picture alliance
Royal family's German ancestors
The English royal family has deep Teutonic ties. In 1714, George Louis, elector of Hanover, became the first king of German origin to succeed to the English crown. Over the past 300 years, strong ties have continued to be forged between the English throne and German noble families. King Charles, too, has German ancestry. He even speaks fluent German — with a genteel British accent.
Image: National Portrait Gallery/dpa/picture alliance
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The king had been scheduled to visit France first, but that part of the journey was canceled due to the ongoing and widespread protests against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms.
Resistance from Left Party
The fact that Charles was set to address parliament was met with criticism from one member of Germany's socialist Left Party.
"I think it's absurd to let a king speak in the Bundestag. Let's remember: monarchies are basically dictatorships with more historical tinsel," the party's deputy leader, Ates Gürpinar, told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper.
"To bring a monarch with all honors into the heart of democracy is extremely forgetful of history," Gürpinar added.
Charles is the first British monarch to address German lawmakers, but it is not his first appearance at the Bundestag.
Three years ago, as heir to the throne, he spoke in honor of the victims of the Second World War and Nazism.
