King Charles visits Germany in first trip abroad as monarch
March 29, 2023
The UK head of state is set to meet with German leaders and address the Bundestag, the first British monarch to do so.
Charles and Camilla landed in Berlin on Wednesday afternoonImage: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP
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Britain's King Charles III arrived in Germany on Wednesday afternoon, starting his first trip abroad as monarch. He is joined by his wife, Queen Consort Camilla.
President Frank-Walter 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."
What are the plans for the royal visit?
Charles and Camilla were greeted by Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate with a ceremonial welcome including military honors. It is to be followed by a state dinner in the evening at Bellevue Palace.
At Brandenburg Gate, the German public had the chance to come face-to-face with the royal couple. Those wishing to see the new king were advised to turn up early, with the space only accommodating some 1,500 spectators. Members of the public began gathering at the landmark on Wednesday morning.
The two heads of state are expected to discuss sustainability and the transition to renewable energy. Environmental protection is one of the king's pet causes.
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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On Thursday, the royal couple will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey. Charles is also due to give a speech to Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, making him the first British monarch to do so.
The pair will then travel to Hamburg before returning to the UK.
A regular visitor to Germany, the British Embassy in Berlin has said that Charles has visited the country some 40 times as prince.
The visit is also meant to improve relations with European Union countries, after years of tension over pre and post-Brexit negotiations.
British Ambassador to Berlin Jill Gallard told Deutschlandfunk that Charles' visit aimed to show that though Britain has left the European Union, it has not left Europe. She added that with Britain and Germany currently sharing several objectives, the timing of the visit was right.
"This visit was a recommendation from the British government," Gallard told the German radio station on Wednesday morning. "And it is no coincidence that this will be the first visit to Europe."
Both countries have recently been closely coordinating their responses to the Russian war on Ukraine.
es/sms (AFP, dpa)
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