LONDON (AP) — Britain’s King Charles III and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier put on a show of Anglo-Saxon unity on Wednesday as their countries expand cooperation to fend off threats to European security, combat climate change and bolster economic growth.
Charles and Steinmeier — the first German head of state to make a formal state visit to Britain in 27 years — exchanged toasts during a lavish banquet at Windsor Castle, celebrating the historic ties between their nations even as they acknowledged scars of the past.
“The day after tomorrow I will travel to Coventry, a city that was reduced to rubble by German bombs during the Second World War. This year we look back on 80 years of peace between our two countries,” Steinmeier said.
“What a gift! Flourishing cities grew out of the ashes. Enemies became friends,” he added. “That is our common history — and it shows what is possible when people have the courage to pursue reconciliation.”
Charles’s toast to Steinmeier was inspired by more recent history — the fall of the Berlin Wall.
“The tumultuous period of political, social and technological change that happened after that has tested our values,” he said. “Many have found that unsettling and even frightening. Fear can lead to anger and resentment. But the United Kingdom and Germany are united in a continued belief in democracy, freedom and the rule of law.”
The royal treatment
The three-day visit comes less than four months after Britain and Germany signed a treaty pledging to deepen cooperation on a range of issues amid the threats posed by Russian aggression in Ukraine and broader challenges to democracy around the world.
The so-called Kensington Treaty is now awaiting approval from the German parliament.
While state visits are hosted by the king, they are scheduled at the request of the elected government to reward friends — and sometimes nudge reluctant partners — with the red carpet treatment only the British royal family can provide.
On Wednesday, Charles welcomed Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, with a warm handshake before bundling them into a horse-drawn carriage for the ride to Windsor Castle, where a military band played the national anthems of both countries and Steinmeier inspected the assembled troops.
For the banquet, Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales donned glittering tiaras and flowing evening gowns as they escorted their guests into St. George’s Hall for a sumptuous meal served on 200-year-old silver. The hall was decorated with a 6-meter tall (nearly 20 feet) Christmas tree adorned with thousands of lights.
But the spectacle has a purpose. Britain and Germany are seeking to underscore the bonds between the two countries as they face the challenges of the war in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump’s America First policies, which threaten to upend longstanding trade and security relationships.
Building on past success
Steinmeier visited Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday and joined roundtable of U.K. and German business leaders.
“The leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to work together to deliver a just and lasting peace for Ukraine,” Starmer’s office said after the meeting.
The visit coincided with the announcement of a 20 million pound ($27 million) electric vehicle project led by Mercedes. It aims to boost the U.K. car industry by developing an ultra-compact electric drive system for high-performance EVs.
On Thursday, the president will address Parliament and lay flowers on the tomb of the Queen Elizabeth II at St. George’s Chapel inside Windsor Castle.
On Friday, he will visit Coventry Cathedral to commemorate the Nazi bombing of the city, which killed at least 568 people and destroyed or damaged more than half of its homes on the night of Nov. 14, 1940. It was the single most concentrated attack on a British city during World War II.
The trip is designed to build on the success of Charles’ state visit to Germany in March 2023, the first such trip he made after ascending the throne. During that tour the king impressed his hosts by speaking in creditable German as he stressed long-standing ties and the importance of future cooperation between the two nations.
British and German officials hope coverage of the glittering events at Windsor Castle will help further than relationship, said Gerhard Dannemann, former head of the Centre for British Studies at Humboldt Universität in Berlin.
“It will produce wonderful pictures and these will be seen as symbols for the British public and the German public,’’ he said. “And the hope is that … the German president can emulate,″ what Charles did in 2023.
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