Royals lay out festive greeting at glittering state banquet

King Charles hosted German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at a glittering, Christmassy state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening.

Among the famous guests were model Claudia Schiffer – who sat next to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – film composer Hans Zimmer and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter.

The banquet was attended by 152 guests, including politicians, business leaders and celebrities, in a seasonally-decorated St George’s Hall, with a 20ft (6m) Christmas tree covered in thousands of lights.

In his speech, King Charles spoke directly about the need for Western allies to stand up for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

“The United Kingdom and Germany together stand with Ukraine and bolster Europe against the threat of further Russian aggression,” the King told the banquet.

Such speeches are written with the advice of government ministers – and this was delivered against the background of international negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

In response, President Steinmeier said Germany was “side by side in support of Ukraine”.

In his speech he mentioned that the Christmas tree was originally a German tradition, appearing for the first time in the UK in Windsor in 1800, brought by Queen Charlotte, the German wife of George III.

Senior royals were in attendance, including Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Duchess of Edinburgh, at the first German state visit for 27 years.

Catherine wore one of Queen Victoria’s tiaras, made of diamonds and rubies and designed by her husband, the German-born Prince Albert.

In a speech delivered in both English and German, the King spoke of the long history of cultural ties between the two countries – and also the “most terrible consequences of conflict”.

The King also spoke of the great social and political changes in the decades following the fall of the Berlin Wall and said such change can be “unsettling and even frightening”.

“Fear can lead to anger and resentment,” said the King, who emphasised the need to defend values of “democracy, freedom and the rule of law”.

There were lighter moments too, including traditional football rivalries.

“One has to admit some element of truth in the famous description of football as a game where 11 people play 11 people and then, in the end, Germany win!”

And the King described a horse-drawn royal coach as the ultimate low-emissions vehicle.

The menu for the banquet was a mix of British and German cuisine.

• Tartlet of hot smoked trout with langoustines, quail eggs and shellfish sauce
• Windsor partridge supreme wrapped in puff pastry with confit cabbage and port sauce
• Crushed carrots and swede
• Assortment of winter vegetables
• Baked Alaska with blackberry, vanilla and raspberry ice creams

There was a special cocktail for the event, made with cherry brandy and chocolate, which was meant to evoke the classic retro flavour of Black Forest gateau.

The banquet followed a day of ceremonial events for the president and his wife Elke Budenbender.

They were given a formal welcoming ceremony, watching a military parade on the manicured lawns inside Windsor Castle, with 850 service personnel and 150 horses taking part.

At the castle, there was an exchange of official gifts. The German visitors, maybe attempting to show that they do have a sense of humour, gave the King an umbrella.

Also given to the King was a copy of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Christmas tree ornaments, a nutcracker and some special cheese from a German eco-village.

For President Steinmeier, the King gave a horn-handled walking stick made by craftsman from the Isle of Mull, a decorative plate and a first edition of Virginia Woolf’s biography of the Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s dog, called Flush.

Such state visits are about projecting soft power and building relationships, and the three-day visit is a mix of pageantry, politics and cultural ties.

After a morning of royal hospitality, the president went to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for talks in Downing Street.

The German president said relations between the two countries were in “far better shape” after “some years with growing difficulties” following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union in 2016.

“We have a new security situation in Europe, if not in the whole world,” he said, and praised a UK-Germany treaty signed in July for helping to achieve closer cooperation.

Meanwhile, Ms Budenbender visited Judith Kerr Primary School in south-east London – to mark the connection to its namesake, Judith Kerr, the German-born author of the children’s book The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

There will be symbolic signs of reconciliation during the state visit, including the German president going to the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, bombed during World War II.

This mirrors a visit to Hamburg during the UK state visit to Germany, when King Charles laid a wreath remembering the civilian casualties of wartime Allied bombing raids.

Earlier in the day, anti-monarchy campaign group Republic had said they were prevented by the police from holding a protest and displaying a banner on the route by the procession, saying it was a “disgraceful attack on free speech”.

In response, Thames Valley Police said they had “facilitated a peaceful protest” and officers had “asked them to step back to our designated protest area” and had stopped them using a loudhailer when horses were nearby.

“Everyone has a right to protest, but if these demonstrations become disruptive or a threat to the public or animals in the procession, we will take appropriate action,” said the police, who added no arrests had been made.