King Charles III wants to strengthen relations with Germany

Dhe British King Charles III. has committed to expanding cooperation with Germany. The relations between the two countries are also extremely important to him, “I am more than ever convinced of their lasting value for all of us,” he said on Wednesday evening in his after-dinner speech at the state banquet in Bellevue Palace in Berlin. “I can only assure you that during the time that will come my way as king, I will do everything to further strengthen our relations.”

Charles and his wife Camilla arrived in Germany in the afternoon for a three-day state visit. They were greeted with military honors at the Brandenburg Gate by their hosts, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender. Steinmeier also emphasized the strength of Anglo-German relations in his after-dinner speech that evening.

Charles said he and his wife were “deeply touched” by the warm welcome in Germany. The king flashed British humor when he pointed out that he had been to Germany more than forty times. “Of course, that shows how important our relationships are to me, but also, I’m afraid, how long I’ve been around.”

Charles also thanked the Germans for the “extremely moving words of support and affection” following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last September. “Your kindness meant more to my family and me than I can put into words.” The king also expressed his appreciation for Germany for taking in more than a million refugees from Ukraine. This is “convincing proof, it seems to me, of the generosity of the people in Germany”.

The four-course menu of the banquet was guarded in advance like a state secret. In the evening, the order of the menu became known. The approximately 130 guests were first served pickled carp and Erfurt watercress, then Heck beef broth, pasture chicken and tree fungus, and finally prunes, East Frisian black tea and shortbread.

The wine accompaniment consisted of a late harvest Riesling from the Rheingau, a Pinot Noir from Rheinhessen and a liqueur wine from the Ahr. Of course, there was also a non-alcoholic drink option and a vegetarian option for food.