King Charles has made history as the first British monarch to address the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, in Berlin.
His Majesty received an almost two-minute standing ovation following his 15-minute speech, delivered in both English and German on Thursday, the second day of his trip to Germany.
The monarch, who has family links back to the country, paid tribute to the deep historical bonds and longstanding ties between the two nations.
READ MORE: Mystery surrounding the hospitalisation of Thai Princess
The 74-year-old reflected on his “beloved mother”, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and her 15 visits to the country over the years, including a “crucial” post-war trip in 1965.
Charles, who was joined by wife Queen Consort Camilla, also discussed the war in Ukraine and praised the British and German support of Kyiv.
READ MORE: King’s plane surrounded by fighter jets on arrival in Berlin
“Countless lives have been destroyed; freedom and human dignity have been trampled in the most brutal way. The security of Europe has been threatened, together with our democratic values,” he said.
“Even as we abhor the appalling scenes of destruction, we can take heart from our unity – in defense of Ukraine, of peace and freedom.”
The monarch’s speech also touched on cultural connections, technology and even football – referencing the England women’s team’s 2-1 win against Germany at Euro 2022.
“In the long and remarkable story of our two countries, there are many chapters yet unwritten. Let us fill these with the restless pursuit of a better tomorrow. The legacy of our past, and the great promise of our future, demand nothing less,” he concluded.
The royal couple were welcomed outside parliament by Bundestag President Bärbel Bas and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The King and Queen Consort arrived at the Reichstag building from Wittenbergplatz, where they visited an organic farmer’s market with Berlin’s mayor, Franziska Giffey.
The royals met with a range of vendors including those running an organic fruit and vegetable stand.
They also spoke to owners of a honey stall, a butcher stand that specialises in regionally sourced meat, a cheese producer and a fishmonger, as well as visiting a bakery and a florist.
King Charles had kicked off day two of the visit to Germany with a bilateral meeting with Scholz at the Federal Chancellery building in Berlin.
It meant the monarch arrived solo in one of his official state Bentleys – which the prestige car company reportedly paid to have transported to Germany – and left the Queen Consort to walk through the crowds to meet her husband.
On day two, the royals also visited the Ukraine Arrival Centre responsible for registering and providing accommodation in Germany to more than 70,000 refugees.
In the afternoon the couple chose to divide and conquer with King Charles visiting a joint military unit at Finowfurt before heading to an organic cheese farm.
The Queen Consort met staff, volunteers and residents at community centre Refugio House before hitting Komische Opera.
Charles and Camilla arrived in Germany on Wednesday for their three-day royal tour – their first state visit as King and Queen Consort.
– Reported with CNN.
For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
In Pictures: King Charles gets standing ovation on Germany visit
King Charles has made history as the first British monarch to address the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, in Berlin.
His Majesty received an almost two-minute standing ovation following his 15-minute speech, delivered in both English and German on Thursday, the second day of his trip to Germany.
The monarch, who has family links back to the country, paid tribute to the deep historical bonds and longstanding ties between the two nations.
READ MORE: Mystery surrounding the hospitalisation of Thai Princess
The 74-year-old reflected on his “beloved mother”, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and her 15 visits to the country over the years, including a “crucial” post-war trip in 1965.
Charles, who was joined by wife Queen Consort Camilla, also discussed the war in Ukraine and praised the British and German support of Kyiv.
READ MORE: King’s plane surrounded by fighter jets on arrival in Berlin
“Countless lives have been destroyed; freedom and human dignity have been trampled in the most brutal way. The security of Europe has been threatened, together with our democratic values,” he said.
“Even as we abhor the appalling scenes of destruction, we can take heart from our unity – in defense of Ukraine, of peace and freedom.”
The monarch’s speech also touched on cultural connections, technology and even football – referencing the England women’s team’s 2-1 win against Germany at Euro 2022.
“In the long and remarkable story of our two countries, there are many chapters yet unwritten. Let us fill these with the restless pursuit of a better tomorrow. The legacy of our past, and the great promise of our future, demand nothing less,” he concluded.
The royal couple were welcomed outside parliament by Bundestag President Bärbel Bas and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The King and Queen Consort arrived at the Reichstag building from Wittenbergplatz, where they visited an organic farmer’s market with Berlin’s mayor, Franziska Giffey.
The royals met with a range of vendors including those running an organic fruit and vegetable stand.
They also spoke to owners of a honey stall, a butcher stand that specialises in regionally sourced meat, a cheese producer and a fishmonger, as well as visiting a bakery and a florist.
King Charles had kicked off day two of the visit to Germany with a bilateral meeting with Scholz at the Federal Chancellery building in Berlin.
It meant the monarch arrived solo in one of his official state Bentleys – which the prestige car company reportedly paid to have transported to Germany – and left the Queen Consort to walk through the crowds to meet her husband.
On day two, the royals also visited the Ukraine Arrival Centre responsible for registering and providing accommodation in Germany to more than 70,000 refugees.
In the afternoon the couple chose to divide and conquer with King Charles visiting a joint military unit at Finowfurt before heading to an organic cheese farm.
The Queen Consort met staff, volunteers and residents at community centre Refugio House before hitting Komische Opera.
Charles and Camilla arrived in Germany on Wednesday for their three-day royal tour – their first state visit as King and Queen Consort.
– Reported with CNN.
For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
In Pictures: King Charles gets standing ovation on Germany visit