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Charles III is visiting Germany on his first official trip abroad as King of England. The monarch delivered almost all of his Bundestag speech in German and received an ovation at the end of his address.
In a reference to the war in Ukraine, Charles III praised the “courage” of Germany to engage in Kiev, namely through the distribution of heavy weapons, adding that “the security of Europe and our democratic values were threatened”. This is the first time that a monarch has intervened in the German parliament.
German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that “six years after Brexit, the two nations are now opening a new chapter”. While the King’s political role is symbolic, the speech is seen as a UK commitment to maintaining ties with the European Union.
After his speech, the monarch traveled to a center for Ukrainian refugees and will travel to Hamburg, the coastal city in northern Germany, on Friday, March 31.
Carlos III was initially supposed to travel to France, but the social context prevented this visit to Paris and Bordeaux. It was the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who asked the sovereign to cancel his visit.
The Ukraine Arrival Centre has been in operation for over a year, as a hub to receive refugees fleeing Ukraine.
The Centre has welcomed over 70,000 arrivals from the country, who have been registered and provided with accommodation in Germany. #RoyalVisitGermany pic.twitter.com/RBQv2gaQ2C
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 30, 2023