Windsor is preparing for a rare moment of international pageantry and diplomacy as German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, embark on a historic three-day state visit to the United Kingdom from December 3 to December 5, 2025. This marks the first German state visit to the UK in 27 years, and the British royal family is rolling out the red carpet—complete with ceremonial welcomes, banquets, and a packed schedule reflecting the deepening ties between the two nations.
According to BBC News, the visit will kick off on Wednesday, December 3, with President Steinmeier and Ms. Büdenbender arriving at Heathrow Airport, where they will be greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales. William and Kate, now seasoned statespeople, have been front and center for a series of recent state visits, and their role this week signals their growing prominence within the monarchy. As Tracy Schaverien, royal contributor to HELLO! magazine, put it, "For the third time this year, William and Kate have been placed front and centre of a state visit, demonstrating their growing status at the heart of the monarchy."
The royal welcome will continue in Windsor, where King Charles III and Queen Camilla will formally greet the German president and first lady on an open-air dais in the town center. Royal salutes will echo across the Home Park and Tower of London, setting the stage for a carriage procession through Windsor’s historic streets—an element notably absent during the last US state visit, when President Trump arrived by helicopter. The parade is expected to draw crowds and showcase the enduring traditions of British royal hospitality.
Security will be tight throughout the week, with several roads in Windsor—including Castle Hill, Barry Avenue, High Street, and Park Street—closed between 9:00 and 15:00 GMT on December 3 and 4. Airspace restrictions will also be in effect over Windsor and neighboring counties. Taxi ranks on Thames Street and Farmyard will be shut, while those on Victoria Street remain open, as reported by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. Businesses, however, will continue to operate as normal, ensuring the town’s daily rhythm is only minimally disrupted.
Once inside Windsor Castle, the royal family and their guests will view a special exhibition of German-related items from the Royal Collection, underscoring the enduring historical and cultural bonds between Britain and Germany. As HELLO! notes, the connection runs deep: Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s German-born consort, is credited with popularizing the Christmas tree tradition in Britain, and the British royals still honor their German roots during the holidays.
Later that afternoon, President Steinmeier will head to Downing Street for talks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and a gathering with UK and German business leaders. The timing is significant—this visit comes on the heels of the "Kensington Treaty," signed in July 2025, which promises closer cooperation on defense, security, trade, and travel. According to The Telegraph, the treaty includes plans to free up school exchanges, streamline passport e-gates, and even explore a direct train link between the two countries. Germany, meanwhile, is introducing a new law to criminalize gangs facilitating illegal migration to Britain, reflecting a shared commitment to tackling cross-border challenges.
While the President is in high-level meetings, Ms. Büdenbender will visit the Judith Kerr Primary School in south-east London. The school celebrates its namesake, Judith Kerr, the beloved German-born British author of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, exemplifying the cultural bridges that unite the two countries.
The first day will culminate with a glittering state banquet in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, attended by senior royals and celebrity guests. Both the King and President Steinmeier will deliver speeches—an opportunity to reaffirm their nations’ friendship and perhaps touch on pressing issues such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The banquet, with its white-tie dress code and four-course menu, is a highlight of royal tradition, and all eyes will be on the Princess of Wales, who in the past has chosen gowns or tiaras as subtle nods to visiting dignitaries’ home countries.
On Thursday, December 4, the President and First Lady will pay a private visit to St George’s Chapel to lay flowers on the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II, a gesture of respect and remembrance. They will then join the King and Queen at a reception celebrating the impact of volunteering, before viewing the State Sleigh designed by Prince Albert in 1845—a reminder of the shared royal heritage.
Thursday’s program also includes a visit to Westminster Abbey, where President Steinmeier will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, and an address to Parliament at the Palace of Westminster. This opportunity to speak before British lawmakers was denied to President Trump during his state visit, as the House of Commons was not in session at the time. Meanwhile, Ms. Büdenbender will join the Lady Chief Justice for a discussion on women in law at the Royal Courts of Justice and meet pupils at Bobby Moore Academy in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The day will end with a banquet at Guildhall, hosted by the Lady Mayor and the City of London Corporation, attended by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Throughout the visit, the German President will also meet members of the German community in the UK and tour the David Bowie Centre at the V&A Storehouse in east London—a nod to the pop icon’s strong Berlin connections.
The final day, Friday, December 5, will see President Steinmeier and the Duke of Kent—himself a royal patron of the Dresden Trust and the British German Association—visit the ruins of Coventry Cathedral. The cathedral, destroyed in the Second World War, stands as a symbol of reconciliation. The pair will lay a wreath in the bombed-out nave, echoing the King’s own visit to Hamburg in 2023, where he honored civilian victims of Allied bombing raids. The visit will conclude with a tour of the new cathedral and a prayer service focused on peace and reconciliation, before the German delegation departs for home.
Amidst the pageantry, the visit is a powerful reminder of how far Anglo-German relations have come—from wartime adversaries to close allies. The events of these three days, steeped in ceremony and substance, underscore the shared values and forward-looking partnership at the heart of the UK-Germany relationship.