After King Charles III. (74) and his wife Camilla (75) landed in Berlin for their three-day state visit to Germany and were greeted with a guard of honor, the royal couple were immediately chauffeured towards the Brandenburg Gate in a car from the British Embassy.
First hosts were Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (67) and his wife Elke Büdenbender (61). Numerous soldiers were already in position for the big reception with military honours. Around 900 police officers have been on duty in Berlin since the royal couple arrived. The Brandenburg Gate was largely cordoned off. The first visitors are said to have been waiting there since 10 a.m. to be able to take a look at the British royals themselves. In advance, the spectators had to go through an admission control, the police searched the place with the help of sniffer dogs for explosives, it said on Twitter.
Charles and Camilla were able to safely exit the car and walk across the red carpet, which was rolled out especially for the British royal couple. Countless guests stood in front of the barriers, applauding, cheering and waving the flags of the Federal Republic of Germany and the United Kingdom in the air. Charles and Camilla beamed and waved at their fans.
The wind orchestra of the Bundeswehr then performed the British and then the German national anthem. Charles and the Federal President paced the honor formation to the sounds of the Prussian presentation march. Finally, the royals spoke to some of the numerous visitors and received gifts and bouquets of flowers.
That the Brandenburg Gate is the first stop during Charles and Camilla’s state visit is a novelty. Usually, after landing, the two were taken to Bellevue Castle. There, after the welcome at the Brandenburg Gate, there will be a political reception at around 4 p.m. For King Charles III. it is the first trip abroad in his new role as monarch of the United Kingdom.
