King Charles III and Queen Camilla Make First State Visit in His Reign to Germany

Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom made their first official State Visit ever in the King's reign. Their first destination, Germany. 

Arriving at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on March 29 for the start of their three-day visit, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were welcomed with a 21-gun salute as two military jets carried out a fly past. German officials greeted the King and Queen Consort when they stepped off the plane.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Budenbender greeted King Charles and Queen Camilla at Pariser Platz with a full ceremonial welcome.

It’s the first time a head of state has been officially welcomed at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate rather than at Schloss Bellevue, the official residence of the German president. 

At the historic Brandenburg Gate

As the royals stepped out of the car, the crowd cheered, with supporters eagerly waving German and Union Jack flags above their heads.

Their choice of their first state visit is historic, since it's the home of King Charles III's ancestors. After the reign of the House of Stuart (1714) and before the reign of the House of Windsor (1917), the United Kingdom was under the two royal houses of Hanover and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, both German royal houses.

The King's father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, though a Greek and Danish prince, had paternal and maternal grandparents who were of German ancestry. 

For the first day of their state visit, Queen Camilla wore a blue coat dress from Bruce Oldfield and a hat from Phillip Treacy. Pinned in her breast is a Diamond and Turquoise brooch, originally belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.

Turquoise brooch of Queen Elizabeth II first seen in public 

This brooch was reportedly a gift from Queen Mary in 1942, to her granddaughter, the young Princess Elizabeth. But Princess Elizabeth until she became Queen, was not seen wearing this brooch in public. It was the first time that this brooch was seen in public,

In the afternoon, Their Majesties attended a state banquet at the Bellevue Palace hosted by the President and the First Lady. 

The state banquet was attended by both British and German delegations including His Majesty's German cousins, The Prince and Princess of Hohenlohe-Langeburg, Princess Xenia of Hohenlohe-Langeburg, and Prince Bernhard of Baden and his wife, Princess Stephanie.

Both the President and The King delivered a speech at the banquet. King Charles III spoked fondly of previous visits to the country, and of his late mother's affection for Germany and its people. He also pledged his commitment to continuing to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. 

Queen Camilla wears Honeycomb Tiara and Diamond Fringe necklace 

During the reception, Queen Camilla wore a black Bruce Oldfield dress with silver embellishment. She also wore a City of London Fringe necklace, which can be worn as a tiara. 

Instead of wearing a tiara worn by Queen Elizabeth II, she wore a tiara, the Greville Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara which she regularly worn in the past. It belonged to the Queen Mother and was never worn by Queen Elizabeth in her lifetime. The late Queen loaned it to Camilla in 2005 when she married Prince Charles.

King Charles III met German business leaders 

The King and the President also had a tree planting, a Queen's canopy tree in the gardens of Bellevue palace. The Queen's Canopy Project was launched in UK to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee and aimed to create a network of trees as a living legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.

King Charles III planted Queen's Green Canopy

The King joined President Steinmeier and other leaders to hear how countries, businesses and civil society are working together to decarbonize global energy systems.

King Charles last visited Germany as Prince of Wales in 2020 to mark the country’s National Day of Mourning for victims of war.