The first speech abroad of a king. Charles III called this Wednesday evening to defend democratic values and praised solidarity with Ukraine to defend “freedom” against Russian “aggression”, starting a state visit to Germany.
The United Kingdom and Germany stand “side by side to protect and advance (their) shared democratic values”, he said in a speech in Berlin, at Bellevue Palace where the head of state German, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, gave a dinner in his honor.
This fight “is embodied by the fact that we stand together alongside Ukraine in defense of freedom and sovereignty in the face of unprovoked aggression”, added the British monarch. “Germany and the United Kingdom are today, also militarily, the two biggest supporters of Ukraine in Europe”, echoed the German head of state, referring to a Russian invasion which revived him “the memories of the worst moments” in the history of Europe.
The dinner ended the first day of the sovereign’s visit, after an unprecedented ceremony at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate, an emblematic monument which was also a symbol of the partition of Berlin for three decades.
“New Chapter”
Frank-Walter Steinmeier celebrated a “new chapter” in relations between the two countries after Brexit. “Today, six years after the UK started to leave the European Union, we are opening a new chapter in our relationship,” he said as he welcomed the King and his wife Camilla to Bellevue Castle. . The couple will stay three days in Germany. Originally, he should have previously traveled to France but this trip was canceled due to social unrest linked to the pension reform in this country.
At the international airport of the German capital, Charles III and the queen consort were greeted by 21 salutes, the overflight of two Eurofighters and a military guard of honor. After hours of waiting in the morning, hundreds of Windsor fans or just the curious got to see the royal couple up close, and many shook hands.
“We loved” the ceremony, says Kathy Robertson, 63, an Englishwoman who has lived in Germany for 43 years. “The queen was very beautiful”. For Janis Aritis, a 22-year-old student, the moment is moving: “It’s not the same as when it was the queen. It represents a new time, a new era.” The famous Unter den Linden avenue was decked out in British colors for a visit which is meant to be a solemn occasion to celebrate the friendly relations between the two countries.
The stay is marked by the theme of ecology, of which the ex-Prince Charles has made himself the cantor across the Channel. Charles, 74, who has been committed to environmental protection for a long time, took part in a reception devoted to climate challenges at the Château de Bellevue. On Friday, for the last day of his trip to Germany, he will learn about a renewable energy production project in the port city of Hamburg.
A busy day on Thursday
The program in Berlin will continue on Thursday, with the highlight being a speech by Charles III in the Bundestag. The monarch must also meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meet Ukrainian refugees and visit an organic farm. It will not be the first time that Charles will find himself at the pulpit of the German lower house.
In November 2020, when he was still just the crown prince, he addressed German lawmakers on Remembrance Day, in a highly symbolic gesture marking the post-war reconciliation between the Kingdom United and Germany.
His most significant visit dates back to 1965, in a Berlin divided by the wall. It is seen as the moment that sealed the reconciliation between the two countries after World War II. The last trip of Queen Elizabeth II to Germany, in 2015, during the time of Chancellor Angela Merkel, sparked great enthusiasm there.