King Charles III welcomed German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, to Windsor Castle on Wednesday at the start of a three-day state visit — the first formal state visit by a German head of state to the UK in 27 years.
The arrival included full ceremonial honours: the presidential plane was met by a carpet-lining party, the couple were greeted at Windsor and Eton Riverside train station by the King and Queen Camilla, and the pair rode in a traditional carriage through Windsor to a royal welcome at the castle capped by a 41-gun salute. Streets around Windsor were decorated with Union Jacks and German flags as the town prepared for the high-profile visit.
The state visit — billed as a mix of pageantry, politics and remembrance — will see Mr Steinmeier meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, address members of parliament and join events focused on business and cultural ties between the two countries, including a roundtable with UK and German business leaders. A state banquet at Windsor is scheduled for the evening.
A solemn element is also planned: Mr Steinmeier will take part in commemorations in Coventry to honour victims of the 1940 bombing of the city, underscoring the visit’s theme of reconciliation and remembrance as well as cooperation. Buckingham Palace and German officials have emphasised that the visit builds on recent efforts to deepen Anglo-German relations after Brexit.
Officials say the visit is intended to project close cooperation on shared challenges — from European security and the war in Ukraine to economic ties such as recent industrial and defence agreements — and to celebrate the long and tangled history linking the two nations. German and British statements ahead of the trip pointed to a mutual desire to strengthen ties on trade, climate and defence.
Royal sources noted the prominent role senior working royals will play in hosting the guests: the Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed the presidential couple at Heathrow on arrival and joined the King and Queen for the formal Windsor ceremonies. The Bundespräsident’s official programme confirms meetings across government, cultural engagements and public events through Friday.
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