King Charles decries ‘Russian aggression’ in pledge on defending Europe

Original article by Caroline Davies

The UK and Germany are ready to “bolster Europe” against the threat of further Russian aggression and both nations “stand” with Ukraine, King Charles said as he hosted the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The visit comes at a difficult time for Europe in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and will aim to underscore the Kensington treaty signed in July – the first formal pact between the UK and Germany since the second world war – which sets out plans for closer cooperation on migration, defence, trade and education.

At a state banquet at Windsor Castle, Charles acknowledged the UK and Germany had “experienced the darkest of times, and the most terrible consequences of conflict”, but decades later “the acknowledgment of past suffering has become the basis for an honest friendship, renewed and redoubled”.

The king spoke of “the shared values” of the two countries, and “shared vision for the future of our modern world”. He added that the two countries “together stand with Ukraine and bolster Europe against the threat of further Russian aggression”.

Steinmeier, sitting next to the Princess of Wales, said that the two countries were “working together to strengthen once again the human ties that have been weakened by Brexit” as he praised the Kensington treaty.

He also echoed the king’s words about tensions in Europe, telling the guests: “We are working together to promote security and defence, side by side for a free, peaceful Europe, side by side in support of Ukraine.”

Earlier Steinmeier was welcomed with military pomp, a 41-gun royal salute and a celebratory oversized Royal Standard flag flown above Windsor Castle.

The king and Queen Camilla accompanied the president and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, on a carriage ride through Windsor’s streets at the start of the three-day visit, which will also see the German leader pay a poignant visit to the ruins of Coventry cathedral, bombed during the second world war.

At 10 Downing Street, ahead of private talks with prime minister Keir Starmer, Steinmeier said the UK-German relationship was in “far better shape” than in the “difficult” post-Brexit period, and relations had improved with the Kensington treaty.

“We have a new security situation in Europe, if not in the whole world. So therefore there is a need of closer cooperation,” he said.

Starmer said the two countries had “worked very, very closely on hugely important issues like Ukraine, where our two countries think alike and act alike, on issues of migration and on economic growth and trade, where we go from strength to strength”.

For the first time in modern history, there was a Christmassy feel to the state banquet, with the table decorated in festive deep red poinsettias and bright red berries, and mini fir trees inside St George’s Hall, which boasted a six-metre Christmas tree featuring 3,000 lights and echoing a German tree tradition popularised by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

German supermodel Claudia Schiffer was seated next to Starmer. Her film-maker husband Sir Matthew Vaughn, movie-score composer Hans Zimmer, Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse, and The Gruffalo children’s book illustrator Axel Scheffler, were on the 152-strong guest list.

In a nod to the king’s guests, the Princess of Wales diplomatically opted for Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, made of diamonds and rubies, which was designed for Victoria by her German-born husband Prince Albert in 1853.

A black forest gateau cocktail was created specially for the occasion. The menu consisted of tartlet of hot smoked trout with langoustines, quail eggs and shellfish sauce; Windsor partridge supreme wrapped in puff pastry with confit cabbage and port sauce. For dessert was a baked alaska with blackberry, vanilla and raspberry ice-creams. The wine list diplomatically included a German white wine – Joh. Jos. Prüm, Graacher Himmelreich, Spätlese, 2010.

In the traditional exchange of gifts Charles presented the president with a handmade walking stick from the Isle of Mull and a decorative slipware plate, and in return received an umbrella and a specially made cheese.

Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic accused Thames Valley police of an attack on free speech claiming protesters were threatened with arrest if they held a “Charles, what are you hiding?” banner as the state visit procession passed through Windsor, a reference to the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor controversy.

Thames Valley police said, in response they had “facilitated a peaceful protest” and officers had “asked them to step back to our designated protest area” and had stopped them using a loudhailer when horses were nearby.