Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will make a state visit to the United Kingdom from Dec. 3-5, Buckingham Palace announced Monday. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender at Windsor Castle.
Although Steinmeier has visited the U.K. several times, this will be the first formal state visit by a German president in 27 years and only the fifth since 1958. State visits feature Britain’s signature pomp and pageantry, including ceremonial salutes, carriage rides, and a lavish state banquet, reflecting the close ties between the two nations.
Invitations for such visits are extended by the monarch at the request of the government. King Charles, who visited Germany in 2023 on his first foreign trip as monarch, emphasized the historic and ongoing economic, scientific, cultural, and military cooperation between the U.K. and Germany, noting his family’s historic links to the House of Hannover.