King Charles and Queen Camilla Annouce Historic Royal Visit That Could Impact the Entire Family
King Charles and Queen Camilla will have their hands full this December. Not only will they be overseeing the Christmas celebrations at Sandringham, but they’ll also be welcoming German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for a state visit on December 3. As seen during Donald Trump's visit, Prince William and Kate Middleton are expected to welcome the President and First Lady when they touch down in the UK.
Steinmeier’s much-anticipated visit to the UK will make history as Germany’s first state visit in 27 years and only the fifth from the country since 1958. The King and Queen announced the upcoming visit on October 14 via social media, stating, "The President of Germany, accompanied by Frau Büdenbender, will pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom, hosted by His Majesty The King, from Wednesday 3rd December to Friday 5th December." While the outing will be Steinmeier’s first state visit, he has visited the UK several times before, most recently in May 2023, when he attended Charles’s coronation ceremony.
Charles and Camilla have always maintained a good relationship with the President, who has spoken highly of the monarchs. The King and Queen had met Steinmeier following Charles’s ascension to the throne, when he became the first British monarch to address the Bundestag, Germany's national Parliament. There, he received a standing ovation when he told the audience that he wished to "renew the pledge of friendship between our nations." Soon after, Charles and Camilla attended a lavish state banquet hosted by Steinmeier at the Schloss Bellevue Palace in Berlin. Following their visit, the King and Queen issued a statement, stressing that the country is "so close to [their] hearts" as they thanked the people for their "warm welcome."
Meanwhile, Charles, for his part, has visited Germany a whopping 40 times. According to The Mirror, the King said of his many visits, "Remarkably, I realize I have visited Germany more than forty times – a measure of the importance of this relationship, of course, but also, I fear, of just how long I have been around!" He continued, "Over all these years, and in so many ways, I have been struck by the warmth of the friendship between our nations and by the vitality of our partnership in countless areas."
Given this history, Steinmeier’s upcoming visit will undoubtedly impact the entire royal family. They will look to impress with a state banquet, welcoming ceremonies, and other activities such as the Drawing Room visit. While the Palace has yet to release the official schedule, a ceremonial welcome by William and Middleton, a state banquet in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, and talks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are expected.
2025 has been eventful with the King successfully hosting state visits of French President Emmanuel Macron in April and Trump in September.