Windsor Castle was awash with light, history, and a touch of festive grandeur on December 3, 2025, as King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Büdenbender for the first German state visit to the United Kingdom in 27 years. The three-day visit, a blend of pageantry, politics, and cultural exchange, began with a series of traditional ceremonies and culminated in a lavish state banquet that celebrated not just the present partnership but centuries of shared history between the two nations.
According to Sky News, the banquet, held in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, was attended by approximately 160 guests, including figures from British aristocracy, high society, and a sprinkle of celebrity glamour. The guest list sparkled with names like supermodel Claudia Schiffer, filmmaker Sir Matthew Vaughn, illustrator Axel Scheffler, Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse, and German footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger. Each detail of the night was meticulously orchestrated: the tables gleamed beneath 158 candles, a 20-foot Christmas tree illuminated the hall with 3,000 fairy lights, and the place settings included 329 knives, 320 spoons, and 760 glasses. Silver-gilt centerpieces overflowed with hand-picked flowers from Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, and The Savill Garden, setting the tone for a night steeped in tradition and opulence (Daily Mail).
But it wasn’t just the décor that caught the eye. The fashion and jewels worn by the royal family were a spectacle in their own right. Queen Camilla dazzled in the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, the Greville Emerald Necklace, and a collection of historical royal jewelry, including Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bar Brooch and the Queen Mother’s Cartier Bracelets. She also wore the insignia of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Star of the Order of the Garter, and the Royal Family Order of King Charles III (The Royal Watcher).
The Princess of Wales, Catherine, drew particular admiration, arriving in a sweeping pale blue Jenny Packham gown and debuting Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara—a rarely seen piece designed by German-born Prince Albert for his queen. Adorned with lotus flowers and 2,600 diamonds, the tiara was last seen in public nearly two decades ago. The Princess’s appearance was described by Daily Mail as the “most heartfelt admiration of the night.” The Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, and the Duchess of Gloucester also graced the occasion in heirloom tiaras and suites, many recently returned from exhibitions at Buckingham Palace and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The ceremonial welcome for President Steinmeier and his wife began with a military parade and a carriage procession through Windsor—an honor not afforded to all recent state guests, as BBC noted, referencing President Trump’s more subdued arrival by helicopter. The Prince and Princess of Wales greeted the German couple at Heathrow Airport and accompanied them to Windsor, where King Charles and Queen Camilla received them in an official ceremony. The day’s events included a guard of honour and a lunch with members of the Royal Family before the evening’s grand banquet (The Royal Watcher).
At the banquet, King Charles delivered a speech that was both witty and thoughtful. He celebrated the “unique partnership at the heart of NATO” between the UK and Germany, praised their mutual commitment to security and defence, and highlighted the importance of standing together in support of Ukraine. In a lighter vein, the King joked about the countries’ shared love of football, quipping, “there was, one has to admit, some element of truth in the famous description of football as a game where eleven people play eleven people, and then, in the end, the Germans win!” (Daily Mail).
The King also spoke about the deep historical ties between the two nations, referencing the marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the traditions Albert brought to the UK. He acknowledged the “darkest times” of the two world wars but emphasized that “the acknowledgement of past suffering has become the basis for an honest friendship, renewed and redoubled.” He added, “Looking ahead, Herr Bundespräsident, we have a responsibility to our citizens, and to our European neighbours as well as the wider world, to speak about the shared values of the United Kingdom and Germany, and our shared vision for the future of our modern world.”
President Steinmeier responded with warmth and gratitude, referencing his own fondness for British music and the British Forces Broadcasting Service. “Your Majesty, it is not least you and your family we have to thank for this work of reconciliation. The Windsors have consistently forged new ties and thereby promoted German-British relations. Just as you still do today. We want to place our partnership on a new footing,” he said (Daily Mail).
The visit was not all ceremony and celebration. It also underscored the robust economic and political ties between the two nations. President Steinmeier joined UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at a roundtable with UK and German business leaders, coinciding with the unveiling of a £20 million electric vehicle project led by Mercedes, expected to create 150 jobs in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire (Sky News). The visit also marked the recent signing of the Kensington Treaty, aimed at enhancing cooperation on defence and trade, and even planning for a direct rail link between the UK and Germany (BBC).
Cultural and educational links were highlighted throughout the visit. The First Lady visited Judith Kerr Primary School in London, celebrating the legacy of the German-born author of “The Tiger Who Came to Tea.” President Steinmeier was awarded an honorary degree by Oxford University and visited the David Bowie Centre at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s new wing—a nod to Bowie’s enduring connection with Berlin. There was also a poignant visit to the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, mirroring King Charles’s earlier gesture in Hamburg, as both nations continue to honor the past while looking to the future (BBC).
The state banquet’s menu was as much a showcase as the guest list: hot-smoked trout with langoustines and quail eggs, Windsor partridge wrapped in pastry, and a dramatic baked Alaska, all paired with English sparkling wine and a vintage red chosen to commemorate the President’s wedding year. Even the cocktails paid homage to German heritage, flavored with chocolate and cherry brandy reminiscent of Black Forest gateau (Daily Mail).
On the morning following the banquet, President Steinmeier paid his respects by laying flowers at the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II in St George’s Chapel, before addressing Parliament and joining the King and Queen at a reception celebrating volunteering across the UK.
In every detail, from the glittering tiaras to the speeches and the shared laughter, the state visit was a powerful reminder: the bonds between the UK and Germany are not only rooted in history but are alive with promise for the future.
