King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrive in Germany for the first State ... trends now

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrive in Germany for the first State ... trends now
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrive in Germany for the first State ... trends now

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrive in Germany for the first State ... trends now

The King and Queen Consort have arrived in Germany for the first State Visit of their reign.

Charles and Camilla landed on the British Government’s Voyager plane at Berlin Brandenburg Airport shortly after 2pm after leaving from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this morning.

In a unique gesture of honour, two German fighter jets accompanied the King and Queen Consort’s RAF Voyager plane when it entered German airspace. Amid brilliant blue skies, one flew to each side of the royal aircraft for around 20 minutes.

They had been due to fly in from Paris but the first part of their visit to France was cancelled at the 11th hour by President Macron amid scenes of huge civil unrest in his country. It will be re-arranged at a later date.

The German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is rolling out the red carpet for his royal visitors, including honouring them with the first full ceremonial and military welcome at the Brandenburg Gate since the Second World War.

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla get off their plane after landing at Berlin Brandenburg Airport

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla get off their plane after landing at Berlin Brandenburg Airport

In a unique gesture of honour, two German fighter jets accompanied the King and Queen Consort’s RAF Voyager plane when it entered German airspace

In a unique gesture of honour, two German fighter jets accompanied the King and Queen Consort’s RAF Voyager plane when it entered German airspace

The British government's liveried Voyager plane - with Charles and Camilla inside - touches down on the runway in Berlin

The British government's liveried Voyager plane - with Charles and Camilla inside - touches down on the runway in Berlin 

Even Queen Elizabeth II, who also visited Berlin for her last ever State Visit abroad in 2015, wasn’t afforded that honour.

Charles will also become the first monarch to address the German parliament, with a speech tomorrow, before travelling to the port city of Hamburg on Friday.   

The trip is being seen as a sign of the importance that both Governments are placing on the visit post-Brexit and in the face of the conflict in Ukraine.

The Royal Family’s unique brand of ‘soft diplomacy’ is seen as a significant weapon for the British government to build on the already strong historic ties between the two countries.

Today, the Royal Family put out a statement sharing their excitement about the visit. 

'Ahead of our first State Visit to Germany, we are very much looking forward to meeting all of those who make this country so special,' they wrote.

'It is a great joy to be able to continue the deepening of the longstanding friendship between our two nations.'

A royal source said: ‘The fact that the programme has so many unique ceremonial elements to it does reflect the strength of the relationship and the fact that this is the first State Visit of Their Majesties reign. The atmosphere in which this has been planned is extraordinarily positive.

‘Their Majesties are very alive to the particular context of Ukraine at the moment which is obviously one of the challenges

read more from dailymail.....

PREV Brit tourist plunges into the sea to his death in front of his wife 'after ... trends now
NEXT In news vacuum, rumours and concern swirl over Catherine mogaznewsen