The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has arrived in London to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the Portuguese-British alliance. As part of the celebrations, President

Rebelo de Sousa will have a meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.

The Portuguese President will be warmly received by the British monarch on Thursday morning. During the ceremonial event, the national anthems of both countries will be played, and the heads of state will witness a parade of English and Portuguese soldiers.

Following the reception, a special ceremony will take place in the Queen's Chapel of the Palace of Saint James. This chapel holds historical significance as it was utilized by Queen Catarina de Bragança, also known as Catherine of Braganza, who was married to King Charles II of England. The Anglican religious service will feature readings from biblical texts and performances of contemporary English and Portuguese music by musicians and two choirs. The entire ceremony is expected to last approximately 40 minutes.

Notable attendees will include official representatives from Portugal and the United Kingdom, including the respective Ministers of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho and James Cleverly.

Of significant importance, the original copy of the Treaty of London of 1373, signed by Edward III of England and Fernando I of Portugal, will be on display inside the chapel. This treaty marks the initiation of the world's longest-standing diplomatic alliance.

The festivities commemorating the 650th anniversary of the Luso-British Alliance are organized by Portugal-UK 650, an unofficial voluntary initiative that began in 2018. The initiative has successfully arranged over 300 activities in the past four years, collaborating with more than 180 partners across various fields, including academic research, education, culture, economics, and the military. Photo by Agência Lusa, Wikimedia commons.