King Charles, the British monarch, is embarking on his first state visit abroad since assuming the throne in September. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen the relationship between Britain
and the European Union following the country's departure from the bloc. The trip will take Charles and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, to Germany, where they will visit Berlin, Brandenburg, and Hamburg.
The original itinerary included a visit to France, but it was canceled due to violent social unrest in the country caused by President Emmanuel Macron's new pension law. The decision to visit Germany instead was welcomed by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who said it was an important "European gesture." The King's visit is seen as a sign of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's push to reset relations with Europe.
During his three-day visit, King Charles will address issues facing both countries, such as sustainability and the Ukraine crisis. He will also commemorate the past, according to Buckingham Palace. On Wednesday morning, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will greet Charles and his wife Queen Consort Camilla with military honors at Berlin's most famous landmark, the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of the country's division during the Cold War and subsequent reunification.
The royal couple will then be guests of honor at a state banquet at the presidential palace, Schloss Bellevue. On Thursday, Charles will address the German lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, and meet some of the 1 million Ukrainians that have taken refuge from war in Germany. Later in the day, he will meet representatives from a joint German-British military unit for a demonstration of their bridge-building amphibious vehicles in Brandenburg.
On Friday, King Charles will visit a church in Hamburg that was destroyed by allied bombing in World War Two and meet with representatives of firms deploying green technology in the port. The trip is a clear sign of the British government's use of the monarchy's "soft power" to strengthen ties with Europe.
However, the success of the visit may be short-lived if other post-Brexit issues flare up. These include Britain's readmittance to the Horizon program, the EU's key funding program for research and innovation, with a 95.5 billion euro budget. If this effort fails, it could cool the relationship between Britain and Europe once again.
Macron has suggested that Charles' visit to France could be rescheduled for the summer. In the meantime, the King's trip to Germany is seen as an important step in strengthening the relationship between Britain and Europe after years of rocky relations. Photo by Dan Marsh, Wikimedia commons.