KING Charles III began his first state visit as king on Wednesday, arriving in Germany for a trip billed as “an important European gesture” to maintain strong ties after Brexit.
This is the first state visit by a British monarch for eight years and it will reinforce what Buckingham Palace called “shared histories, culture and values”.
King Charles’ state visit aims to prioritise building bridges with European allies, particularly at a time of pressure over Ukraine.
The king was urged to make this trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.
During the first day of the monarch’s official visit, King Charles and German President Steinmeier both made an address during a state banquet in Berlin. The king vowed to strengthen the ties between the UK and Germany as he undertook his first foreign visit as king.
Speaking in German, he said he and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have been “deeply touched” by their warm welcome and praised the “very special” nation.
The bond between the two countries “mattered greatly” to the late Queen Elizabeth, he said, reiterating that this is also of great importance to him.
“The connections between us will grow ever stronger,” he said, citing the “cherished friendship” that will see both nations working together to overcome challenges, including climate change.
Both the King and the president raised a toast at the end of their remarks, with Steinmeier also unveiling a photograph of Charles as a child with his late father, the Duke of Edinburgh.
It can be recalled that King Charles last visited Germany in in November 2020 as Prince of Wales to mark the country’s national day of mourning for victims of war.
