William and Catherine greet German president on first state visit in 27 years

The Prince and Princess of Wales have welcomed the German president to the UK for a state visit.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Budenbender landed at Heathrow airport on Wednesday morning, and were greeted by William and Catherine.

The president and first lady will receive an elaborate ceremonial reception from King Charles and Queen Camilla in Windsor, beginning with a carriage ride to the castle. It is the first German state visit in 27 years.

Such state visits are about projecting soft power and building relationships, and the three-day visit will see a mix of pageantry, politics and culture.

Events for the president will include a state banquet, speaking in Parliament, meeting the PM in Downing Street and visiting German footballers who play in the Premier League.

German flags are flying along Windsor High Street and the visitors will be given a formal welcoming ceremony and will view a military parade on the manicured lawns inside Windsor Castle.

State visits are planned by the Foreign Office to cultivate diplomatic relations with important partners.

And this visit will reinforce the Kensington Treaty, signed between the UK and Germany in July, which emphasised military and business co-operation and closer links between the countries, including plans for a direct rail link.

The UK government is also hoping for more help from Germany in stopping illegal migration. The National Crime Agency has previously said equipment used to cross the Channel has been stored in Germany.

There will be an exchange of gifts between the King and his German visitors and, in the evening, speeches will be made at the state banquet in St George’s Hall, inside Windsor Castle, with guests to include celebrities alongside the royals and politicians.

It’s likely that some of the King’s speech will be delivered in German.

When he visited Germany in 2023, King Charles spoke about the need to support Ukraine and there will be attention paid to what he might say about the war, and ongoing negotiations to end it.

The previous state visit was US President Trump, who travelled in and out of Windsor by helicopter, increasing his security and avoiding protestors, rather than taking part in a public carriage ride.

With Christmas approaching there are also likely to be references to the German roots of some Christmas traditions, including popularising the Christmas tree by Queen Victoria’s husband Albert.

Although without any snow to try it out, the visitors will be shown a sleigh designed by the German-born Prince Albert in 1845.

There will be symbolic signs of reconciliation, including a visit by the German president to the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, bombed during the Second World War.

This mirrors a visit to Hamburg during the UK state visit to Germany, when King Charles laid a wreath remembering the civilian casualties of wartime Allied bombing raids.

Oxford University will award an honorary degree to President Steinmeier, on a trip where he will be shown medical technology at the university and joint UK and German research projects.

Ms Budenbender will visit the Judith Kerr Primary School, in south-east London, to mark the connection to its namesake, Judith Kerr, the German-born author of the children’s book The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

The German president will go to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to meet German footballers who play in the English Premier League.

And at the V&A East Storehouse the visitors will see the David Bowie Centre, which contains items related to the pop star, such as stage outfits and musical instruments.