Buckingham Palace has released further details ahead of the President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping’s, upcoming State Visit to the United Kingdom as a guest of Her Majesty The Queen. Mr Jinping will be accompanied by his wife, Madame Peng Liyuan, on the visit that lasts from 20th to the 23rd October, and the couple will stay in Buckingham Palace.
Upon their arrival in the United Kingdom, President Xi and Madame Peng will be greeted at Heathrow Airport on behalf of The Queen by Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting. The State Visit get’s underway on Tuesday 20th October as The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will greet Xi Jinping and Madame Peng at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The quartet will travel to Horse Guards Parade, where the President will receive the official Ceremonial welcome.
The last incoming Chinese State Visit to the United Kingdom occurred in 2005 when President Hu Jintao paid a visit. The Queen and Prince Philip made their way to China for a State Visit in 1986, the first visit to the country by a reigning British monarch.
Following the Ceremonial welcome, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will greet the Chinese President and his wife at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards. The Guard of Honour will give a Royal Salute, and the Chinese national anthem will be played. Following an inspection of the Guard of Honour by Prince Philip President Xi and, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness will accompany their guests in a state carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace.
Highlights of the Chinese couple’s first afternoon in London include lunch with The Queen at Buckingham Palace. A private tour of an exhibition in the Picture Gallery, showcasing items from the Royal Collection relating to China will follow.
Away from Buckingham Palace on Tuesday afternoon, President Xi and Madame Peng will pay a visit to the Palace of Westminster. They will be welcomed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker. Following an address to the Houses of Parliament, The President and his wife will make their way to Clarence House. Prince Charles and Camilla will invite the couple to join them for tea as well as to view a display by the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts and meets some of the institutions students.
In March 2015, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, Prince William made an official visit to China. He will pay a visit to President Jinping at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday afternoon, as to will leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn.
As is traditional with all State Visits, the first day will be rounded off with a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty and the President will both make speeches at the start of the banquet. It is still unknown at this time that other members of The Royal Family, aside from The Queen and Prince Philip, will be attending the State Banquet. Though it is confirmed, Prince Charles won’t be in attendance.
As if day one of the State Visit wasn’t busy enough, Wednesday looks set to be even busier for the Chinese President and Madame Peng. It all begins with Xi Jinping visiting the Imperial College London where he will be accompanied by The Duke of York and Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne. Continuing his close ties with China, The Duke of Cambridge, accompanied by The Duchess of Cambridge, will meet Mr Jinping and Madame Peng at a creative industry event at Lancaster House. The event celebrates the cultural collaboration, existing and future, between the UK and China.
Further engagements for the President throughout the rest of the day include a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at Downing Street. The pair will also travel to the UK-China Business Summit at Mansion House as well as a visit to Huawei Technologies.
Wednesday will be rounded off with another banquet for President Xi and his wife, this time at the Guildhall in London and hosted by the Lord Mayor and the City of London Corporation. The Duke of York will also be present at the banquet while the Lord Mayor and Xi Jinping will both make short speeches to the gathered guests.
After being heavily involved on the President’s third day in the United Kingdom, it seems that Prince Andrew will be taking part in many engagements with the President on Thursday. Following the formal farewell from Buckingham Palace on Thursday morning from The Queen and Prince Philip, President Xi and Prince Andrew will visit Inmarsat, a leading provider of global satellite communication services. After the pair will join a Confucius Institute conference hosted by the UCL Institute of Education.
While the royal aspects of the State Visit will be over on the last day of the visit on Friday 23rd October, President XI will still be a very busy man. He and George Osborne will visit the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester. The Prime Minister will join President Xi at the City Football Group and a lunch at Manchester Town Hall, hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of Manchester.
After an event at Manchester Airport, the Prime Minister and Lord Chamberlain, on behalf of The Queen, will bid farewell to President Xi and Madame Peng as they depart for their return to China.
As the State Visit gets underway on Monday 19th October, Royal Central will, of course, keep you updated with all the latest news on the most recent incoming Chinese State Visit to the United Kingdom.
