As part of efforts to end years of tense ties between Britain and the European Union following its divorce from the EU, King Charles landed in Germany on March 29 for his first state visit overseas since becoming the monarch of the United Kingdom.
The pilot announced before takeoff on Wednesday that fighter planes would accompany his plane into Berlin as a sign of respect.
Charles and Camilla were received with military honours by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, a reminder of the nation’s separation during the Cold War and subsequent reunification.
Charles, who took over from his mother Queen Elizabeth as the monarch of the United Kingdom in September, was originally scheduled to visit France first, but he was forced to postpone the trip owing to the tumultuous social upheaval around President Emmanuel Macron’s new pension legislation.
The King will also go to the eastern state of Brandenburg and the northern port city of Hamburg during his three-day stay. According to Buckingham Palace, Charles will speak on topics that affect both nations, including sustainability and the Ukrainian conflict, as well as pay tribute to the past.
