Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh: State Visit to Germany - June 24-26, 2015

[wbenson]

http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Pressreleases/2015/GermanyStateVisitAnnouncement.aspx

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will make a State Visit to the Federal Republic of Germany from 24 to 26 June. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness are visiting at the invitation of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Joachim Gauck.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Queen and Prince Philip to visit Germany - Telegraph

 

[tommy100]

Interesting time to announce a state visit, I wonder why! Nice to see the Queen and Philip going on a state visit again!

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

And to those who believed that the state visit to France in 2014 was to be the last, they were wrong.

 

[muriel]

It is interesting that they have announced a State Visit that will take place after the elections.

 

[Marty91charmed]

Is it the norm to announce a state visit 5 months earlier?

 

[Rudolph]

On their travels again! The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh set to visit Germany this summer says Buckingham Palace | Daily Mail Online

 

[tommy100]

The State visit to France was announced on 3rd Feb and it took place 5-7 June
This one has been announced on 5th Jan and will take place 24-26th June

Whilst there's not that much in it this one has been announced earlier, maybe they want to show that the Family are getting on with things despite the other royal events in the news at the moment.

On a side note, having seen the UK embassy in Berlin I have to agree with Philip describing it as 'ghastly' lol

 

[JR76]

Hmm if the state banquet is white-tie do you think Mutti Merkel will wear a tiara and if she does will she pair it with a long dress or one of her pant suits... If you'd seen the images in my head right now...


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[Lumutqueen]

Merkel wouldn't wear a tiara.

 

[Stefan]

Hmm if the state banquet is white-tie do you think Mutti Merkel will wear a tiara and if she does will she pair it with a long dress or one of her pant suits... If you'd seen the images in my head right now...


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Most likely the State Banquet will not be white tie like at the last State Visit of Queen Elizabeth II. to Germany.
As for Angela Merkel she sometimes wear an evening gown for example when sthe attendes the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth or when she attended the Opening of the New Opera in Oslo where she wore a quiet low cut Evening gown.

But aside i find it interesting that she will have then paid 2 State Visits to Germany since the last german State Visit to the Uk who was in 1998.
And also the Protocol because it was said that President Sarkozy had to marry before his State Visit to the UK because otherwsie he would have to go aline. But at this State Visit she will be received by the President (who is still married to another woman) and his partner.

 

[Tilia C.]

Hmm if the state banquet is white-tie do you think Mutti Merkel will wear a tiara and if she does will she pair it with a long dress or one of her pant suits... If you'd seen the images in my head right now...


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State Visits to Germany are usually hosted by the President, not by the Chancellor. So the Chancellor won't attend, the banquet will be hosted by President Gauck and of course the President's partner does wear a dress and no tiara, as Mrs. Merkel would (she she were to attend).

The dress code is usually black tie (at least it was back in 2012 when the GD of Luxembourg visited), so we will see the Queen, and only the Queen, wearing a tiara.

And in case that there is a day time meeting with Chancellor Merkel, she will wear a business suit. Why not? She's a politician, not a Royal.

 

[Stefan]

State Visits to Germany are usually hosted by the President, not by the Chancellor. So the Chancellor won't attend, the banquet will be hosted by President Gauck and of course the President's partner does wear a dress and no tiara, as Mrs. Merkel would (she she were to attend).
.

Don't know if it usually the case but i think at such an important State Visit that the Chancellor will also attend the State Banquet. I remember that at the Queen's State Visit in 1992 the then Chancellor Helmut Kohl and many other of the Minsters attended the Banquet at Augustusburg Castle which was even broadcasted live on TV at the time.
As for the dresscode it was either Johannes Rau or Horst Köhler who changed the dresscode from white tie to black tie because under Roman Herzog King Albert II. and Queen Paola paid a State Visit and then the dresscode was still white tie.

 

[Skippyboo]

David Cameron as PM attends UK state banquets. He is just not the host since he isn't the head of state. The Queen is. In Germany, you have almost the same situation- a President who is head of state and a Chancellor who runs the country.


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[Tilia C.]

Still in Germany it is not usual the Chancellor attends State Banquets. As Stefan wrote there are exeptions, so maybe the British visit will be one.


So last year it was France, this year Germany. I wonder, does it mean that HM now restricts her travelling to shorter distances, meaning Europe. Her age might be an argument for that. Or are there political reasons that there is now a stronger focus on European countries?


I'm looking forward to this visit, of course! It will be great to have HM and the Duke visiting.

 

[Jacknch]

Still in Germany it is not usual the Chancellor attends State Banquets. As Stefan wrote there are exeptions, so maybe the British visit will be one.


So last year it was France, this year Germany. I wonder, does it mean that HM now restricts her travelling to shorter distances, meaning Europe. Her age might be an argument for that. Or are there political reasons that there is now a stronger focus on European countries?


I'm looking forward to this visit, of course! It will be great to have HM and the Duke visiting.

Yes, I suspect you are right about their age and health. If anything untoward was to happen, such as a fall or illness, then the journey home would be quicker and less arduous.
I can see no political reasons to restrict overseas travel to Europe only. The visits further afield are still being done but by Charles and Camilla, and William and Catherine.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Most likely the Government wants to stress that the UK adds the greatest importance to strong ties with the EU and with its most powerful state, Germany, despite possible sounds about a Brexit (the United Kingdom leaving the EU).

 

[tommy100]

I imagine the Government are indeed more than happy to strengthen the UK's link to Europe and the EU. However I'm sure another part is the Royal Household's statement that the Queen is cutting down on long haul travel. Most of Europe wouldn't be considered long haul travel and I suspect the Queen would rather carrying on with some state visits each year while she is up to it.

 

[VictoriaB]

So last year it was France, this year Germany. I wonder, does it mean that HM now restricts her travelling to shorter distances, meaning Europe. Her age might be an argument for that. Or are there political reasons

Even travelling in comfort as the Queen & Duke will, long haul is hard. I live in Australia & dread trips home to the UK to visit family. It's not just the discomfort of the travel itself but also the jet lag once you get there. In some cases there will be environmental/climate factors. I can understand why, in their 90s & 80s they prefer to restrict travel to Europe & leave long haul to the younger members of the family.



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[Skippyboo]

It was also Italy last year in addition to France for the Queen and Philip. However, you had a Latin American push from Harry in Brazil and Chile and Columbia and Mexico from Charles and Camilla.


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[Dman]

It's good to see The Queen and Prince Philip is still giving it "the old college try" with the State Visit. Looking forward to the videos and pictures.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

I look forward to the state visit to Germany. I know that The Queen is cutting down on long haul travel, but there have been rumors of a longer trip. I think she will visit New Zealand, she hasn't been there since 2002.

 

[hernameispekka]

I look forward to the state visit to Germany. I know that The Queen is cutting down on long haul travel, but there have been rumors of a longer trip. I think she will visit New Zealand, she hasn't been there since 2002.

Really, I think it might be Malta for the Commonwealth meetings. Or does that not count as long-haul?

 

[Jacknch]

Well, the State Visit to Germany will be a delight to follow and if their are more overseas visits further afield in the planning, so much the better. Any official visits undertaken by the Queen are more special now than ever before.

 

[PetticoatLane]

I would suggest the reason the visits are being kept to the major EU countries is almost entirely political. The UK's exit from the EU is almost inevitable at this stage and, despite his image abroad, this is not something David Cameron nor the British 'Establishment' actually wants. He wants a massively reformed EU and wants to show the people of the UK that this can be achieved by negotiation with the other big players. The problem he has is that the other EU countries basically want no part of it and the British people can see that.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Really, I think it might be Malta for the Commonwealth meetings. Or does that not count as long-haul?

The flight time between London and Malta is only about 3 hours. That isn't long-haul. To Stockholm from London takes 2 hours.

Long-haul flights are at least 7 hours. Of course to fly to NZ or Australia is 24 hours in two legs - one about 7 - 8 hours and the other around 14 hours depending on the route. The one through Dubia/Abu Dabi is more even than that but BA uses the longer leg through Singapore and the shorter one from Singapore onwards.

William left for Malta, carried out around 10 engagements and returned over a weekend.

 

[hernameispekka]

The flight time between London and Malta is only about 3 hours. That isn't long-haul. To Stockholm from London takes 2 hours.

Long-haul flights are at least 7 hours. Of course to fly to NZ or Australia is 24 hours in two legs - one about 7 - 8 hours and the other around 14 hours depending on the route. The one through Dubia/Abu Dabi is more even than that but BA uses the longer leg through Singapore and the shorter one from Singapore onwards.

William left for Malta, carried out around 10 engagements and returned over a weekend.

Ok, thanks. I wasn't sure

 

[wyevale]

PetticoatLane,

If Cameron genuinely believes a State visit to [an effectively unknown] German president will persuade anybody to revise their opinion of the EU, he is even more stupid than I gave him credit for.

The Presidency has nothing whatsoever to do with the [Brussels run] bureacracy that is the bugbear of so many of us, and the reason so many want OUT of the EU.

I'm more inclined to see this visit as a simple, courteous return State Visit, in the usual reciprocal manner. I hope, and believe it will be a success, but barring Frau Merkel dropping to her knees and pledging eternal fidelity ONLY to the laws enacted by 'the Queen in Parliament', it will make not one iota of difference to the way the EU is regarded,and distrusted in Britain.

 

[Andy T]

The announcement of this visit ties in rather well with Her Majesty's Christmas broadcast this year, during which she elaborated at some length on the theme of reconciliation, evoking the "Christmas Truce" on the Western Front in 1914.

Her Majesty's visit to Ireland (and her subsequent hosting of the Irish State Visit to the UK) will stand out in history as an act of reconciliation between the two states. During the visit, I would very much like to see a moment of reconciliation between the current heads of the Houses of Hohenzollern and Windsor, successors to the warring cousins of a century ago. It is time.

 

[Tilia C.]

I do not think that any of the Hohenzollerns will get near that State Visit. They have no official function in Germany any more and they play no role on an official level.